NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Tennessee Smokies

Lookouts' Wimmers Quiets Smokies in 8-0 Shutout Victory

July 26, 2015 - Southern League (SL1)
Tennessee Smokies News Release


SEVIERVILLE - Chattanooga starting pitcher Alex Wimmers tossed six and two-thirds scoreless innings to quiet the Smokies' bats, while catcher Stuart Turner tallied a game-high three hits, including a home run while driving in two runs to lead the Lookouts to a series-clinching 7-0 shutout victory over Tennessee on Sunday evening at Smokies Stadium.

The rubber match triumph improved Chattanooga's second half record to 11-17, placing them a half game behind the Smokies for third place in the North Division standings, in addition to a 54-42 overall clip . The Smokies fell to 12-17 since the midpoint of the season, in addition to a 51-47 mark throughout the 2015 campaign.

Wimmers (6.2 IP, 6 H, 0 R, BB, 3 SO) turned in the second straight strong outing by a Lookouts starter, following on the heels of D.J. Baxendale's seven shutout frames last night to earn his sixth win of the year. The right-hander scattered six hits and exited in the seventh with the Smokies threatening and runners at the corners, however Tennessee was kept off the scoreboard and maintain Wimmers' blank line in the runs column. Relievers Tim Shibuya (1.1 IP, H, BB) and Matt Summers (1.0 IP, H) went the rest of the way for the Lookouts, firing the final 2.1 frames of two-hit ball to preserve the shutout.

Chattanooga scored the first of their trio of two-spots in the second frame thanks to the longball. LF Marcus Knecht began the two-out rally by reaching via a hit by pitch, extending the inning for C Stuart Turner, who blasted a two-run shot over the Calhoun's At The Yard deck in left field for his fourth big fly of the year, putting the Lookouts ahead 2-0.

That margin would double to four in the very next inning thanks to more two-out hitting. CF Shannon Wilkerson led off with a walk and then took second on an error, while 1B Kennys Vargas reached base on an intentional walk to bring up RF Travis Harrison, who smashed a two-run base hit to right to plate both Wilkerson and Vargas to increase the advantage to 4-0.

Three innings later, Chattanooga's cushion grew to six. Turner and SS Niko Goodrum began the frame with back-to-back free passes and then advanced 90 feet on a groundout, before Turner came across via Wilkerson's run-scoring base knock to right to increase the lead to 5-0. The second of the two tallies would subsequently score when Vargas drew a bases-loaded walk to up the lead to 6-0.

The Lookouts would add insurance runs with single tallies in the next two frames to cap the scoring. Knecht and Turner got aboard via consecutive singles to begin the seventh prior to Knecht scampered around to came plateward from second via a Smokies error, one of five on the evening, to increase Chattanooga's margin to 7-0. Walker then in the eighth slammed a triple that one-hopped the center field wall, and would later score on the play thanks to the fifth Smokies error of the contest to increase the lead to eight.

Turner (3-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB) was the only Lookouts batter to record a multi-hit effort with his three base knocks, while 1B Jacob Rogers (2-3, 2B) and 3B Jeimer Candelario (2-4) each recorded two hits for the Smokies. Tennessee C Willson Contreras failed to collect a hit in the contests, marking the first time this year the 23-year-old, who entered tonight fifth in the Southern League in battinga verage and hits, has gone hitless in back-to-back days this season.

Smokies starter Felix Pena (5.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 8 SO) suffered the defeat to fall to 5-7 after yielding three earned runs on four hits, adding eight strikeouts in five innings of work. With those eight punchouts, the right-hander continues to rank second in the Southern League with 109 strikeouts this season, behind only Montgomery's Jaime Schultz (114).

Following an off day Monday, the Smokies will hit the road for a five-game road series against the Montgomery Biscuits, the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. Tennessee is expected to give the ball to RHP Ivan Pineyro (6-5, 3.95) in the series opener at Riverwalk Stadium, while the Biscuits have not yet announced a starter. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. in Montgomery.

The club will then return home on Sunday, August 2 to start a ten-game homestand, which will feature a five-game set first versus the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. The homestand begins with a U.S. Cellular Family FUNday, with families able to take advantage of a great deal that features four tickets, four meal vouchers and two wristbands to Homer the Hound's Playland for only $48 dollars. The Smokies will also be hosting a post-game Christian concert that evening following the conclusion of that evening's game.

Tickets for all remaining home contests at Smokies Stadium, are on sale and can be purchased online at smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at 865-286-2300.

Check out the Tennessee Smokies Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Southern League message board...

Southern League Stories from July 26, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central