Batista Dazzles in Smokies' 5-2 Victory over Chattanooga
Published on April 26, 2015 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
KODAK - Smokies starting pitcher Frank Batista tossed seven solid innings of one-run ball, while four consecutive run-scoring singles from right fielder Almora Almora Jr., designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, first baseman Dan Vogelbach and catcher Willson Contreras to lead Tennessee to a 5-1 victory over the Chattanooga Lookouts on Sunday afternoon at Smokies Stadium.
The win was the fourth straight triumph for the Smokies, who improved their North Division best record to 10-5 this season. With the loss, Chattanooga fell to 7-9 on the year, and have won just two of their last ten contests played.
Batista earned his second victory of the season with his outstanding performance, with his lone hiccup coming in the opening frame. Lookouts 1B DJ Hicks launched his second longball of the series, and the season, with a solo blast to deep right field to put Chattanooga up early at 1-0.
Celebrating his 26th birthday, the right-handed Batista retired the final 12 batters he faced from the fourth through seventh frames, recording six of his eight strikeouts in that span. The punchout total was the highest attained in the right-hander's professional career since July 24, 2010 against the Low-A Lake County Captains, when Batista fanned ten batters for the Peoria Chiefs.
The bullpen duo of Zach Cates (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) and Starling Peralta (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB) supported Batista by tossing the final two frames to preserve the victory. Chattanooga starter Tyler Duffey (5.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 0-2 on the season after yielding five earned runs on eight hits in five innings of work.
After Chattanooga clubbed their way to an early advantage the Smokies would even the contest in the subsequent inning with a single tally. 2B Stephen Bruno laced a two-out double down the left field line, before he was sent in on LF Bijan Rademacher's run-scoring base knock to right.
The score would remain the same until the fifth, when Tennessee brought nine batters to the plate in a four-run frame. Rademacher led off with a line drive, advanced to second on an error and third on a sacrifice bunt, before coming plateward on Almora Jr.'s base hit to right to give the Smokies the lead. Schwarber, Vogelbach and Contreras would then immediately follow Almora Jr. with RBI singles of their own to push the lead to 5-1.
Chattanooga would threaten in the ninth, bringing the game within three runs with a single tally in the ninth. RF Travis Harrison began the inning with a free pass, and moved on to third on LF Adam Walker's two-bagger prior to coming across on 3B Stephen Wickens' RBI groundout.
Almora Jr., Bruno and Rademacher each collected two hits apiece to lead the Smokies offense, while no Lookouts hitters recorded a multi-hit effort. Vogelbach's RBI knock in the fifth extended his on-base streak, with the 22-year-old having now reached via a hit or walk in 15 consecutive games, including a hit in all but one of those contests.
The Smokies will go for their fifth straight victory and try to clinch their series with Chattanooga Monday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. from Smokies Stadium. Tennessee is expected to give the nod to RHP Corey Black, while the Lookouts are anticipated to counter with RHP Jose Berrios.
It's the first McGhee Tyson Airport Dollar Monday at the ballpark, with fans truly getting the bang for their buck. Hot dogs, popcorn, small sodas and programs will all be available for just one dollar each.
Tickets for that evening's contest, and all other remaining Smokies home games are still available, and can be purchased online by clicking here, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at (865) 286-2300.
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