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Tennessee Smokies

Smokies Rebound, Hold on for 10-8 Win over Mobile

May 29, 2015 - Southern League (SL1)
Tennessee Smokies News Release


KODAK - The Smokies plated nine of their ten runs in the fifth through seventh frames, including a big five-run sixth, with third baseman Willson Contreras, right fielder Billy McKinney and first baseman Anthony Giansanti all recorded two hits and drove in two or more runs as Tennessee held off a late Mobile BayBears charge for a 10-8 win in front of a crowd of 5,844 on Friday evening at Smokies Stadium.

The victory improved the the Smokies' record to 26-22 and gives the club a 2-1 advantage in their series with the BayBears. Mobile, meanwhile, fell below the .500 mark for just the second time since the 2013 season as they dropped to 23-24 on the year. In addition, the win combined with the Chattanooga Lookouts' loss to the Biloxi Shuckers tonight means the Smokies are now three and a half games behind the Lookouts for first place in the Southern League North Division first half standings.

Contreras (2-3, 3 R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB), McKinney (2-5, 2 R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI) and Giansanti (2-4, 3 RBI, BB) combined to collect six hits in 12 at bats, adding five runs, one double, one triple, a homer, seven RBI and in the contest, and were three of five Smokies batters to record multiple base knocks. C Kyle Schwarber (2-3, 2 R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB) and SS Elliot Soto (2-3, R, BB) also did their part with two hits on the evening as Tennessee banged out 12 hits.

Each team traded a single tally early on, with the Smokies answering after BayBears 2B Brandon Drury's RBI single in the top of the first. Soto led off the Tennessee order with a single to right, and then motored home all the way from first when Schwarber shot an RBI double into the right field corner to even the contest at 1-1.

The score remained the same until the fifth, when the Smokies began their three-inning onslaught. Contreras started the frame with a single to center, and then advanced to third via McKinney's two-bagger, before being brought plateward via Giansanti's two run infield single up the middle, with McKinney aggressively scoring from second to beat SS Sean Jamieson's toss home and make it 3-1.

Tennessee followed by breaking the contest open in the sixth by putting up a five-spot. 2B Ryan Dent led off with a hit, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and third via a wild pitch prior to coming home courtesy of CF Albert Almora Jr.'s sacrifice fly to left to push the Smokies ahead 4-1. Schwarber and Contreras each then drew consecutive bases on balls, immediately scoring when McKinney slapped a two-run triple into the right-center field gap. McKinney would come home as Giansanti's third RBI of the night on another run-scoring hit, while RF Bijan Rademacher capped the frame by coming across on a wild pitch, giving Tennessee the 8-1 advantage.

After Mobile scored two in the top of the seventh, the Smokies would reach double digits and finish their scoring spurt wth two more scores. Schwarber started the two-out rally with a single to bring up Contreras, who crushed an 0-1 offering to the Calhoun's At The Yard deck in left-center to increase the margin to 10-3.

The BayBears would make things interesting in the ninth, however, bringing home five ninth-inning tallies. Drury reached via a lead-off base hit, while 1B Rudy Flores walked and Jamieson got on with a single to right to load the bases for pinch hitter Gerson Montilla, who mashed a grand slam into to left-center to cut into Mobile's deficit at 10-7. RF Socrates Brito would then bring home the final run of the game with an RBI base hit to right to make it a two-run margin.

Drury led all hitters with a game-high three hits on the evening, while Brito was the only other BayBears batter to record a multi-hit effort. Contreras' two-hit game for the Smokies continued the 23-year-old's hot streak at the plate as of late, with the Venezuela native now recording a hit in eight of his last nine contests.

Tennessee starter Corey Black (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO) earned his second win of the year after yielding a lone earned run on three hits, adding only one walk and six strikeouts in five innings of work to improve to 2-2. Right-handed reliever Starling Peralta (1.2 IP, 1 SO) fired 1.2 perfect frames in support of Black, while closer P.J. Francescon (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) notched his sixth save of the season.

Mobile starter Braden Shipley (4.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO) suffered the defeat after allowing three earned runs on six hits, adding four walks to fall to 2-4. Shipley has been received losses in each of his last four outings dating back to May 18, and has posted an 0-4 mark and 7.89 ERA (26 ER in 29.2 IP) in six starts this month.

The Smokies will look to clinch a series victory Saturday evening in the fourth game of their five-game set with the BayBears, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET at Smokies Stadium. Tennessee is expected to give the nod to RHP Ivan Pineyro (4-2, 2.92), while Mobile is expected to counter with RHP Brandon Sinnery (4-2, 4.32).

The club will hold their annual Salute to Heroes Night on Saturday evening, recognizing the men and women of our armed forces who have and are serving, as well as their families, with a special pre-game ceremony beginning at 6:05 p.m. ET before the game. In addition, the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a special Military Card Set featuring 30 local East Tennessee veterans and the stories of their service. Gates will be open at a special early time at 5:30 p.m. ET.

All active and former military personnel will also be able to receive free tickets for them and their families for that evening's contest by showing their military ID at the Smokies Ticket Office.

Tickets for that night's game, and all other remaining Smokies home games are still available, and can be purchased online at smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at (865) 286-2300.

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Southern League Stories from May 29, 2015


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