Biscuits Fall to Smokies, 4-3
April 12, 2022 - Southern League (SL)
Montgomery Biscuits News Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala.. - The Biscuits (2-2) had a rough start to their 2022 home opener, falling to the Tennessee Smokies (3-1), 4-3, on Tuesday night at Riverwalk Stadium.
Michael Mercado (0-1) was welcomed to the Double-A with impressive batting from the Smokies. Darius Hill opened the game with a bunt single down the third base line. Christopher Morel would follow up with another ground-ball single. Mercado would highlight the inning with back-to-back strikeouts of Nelson Velazquez and Bryce Ball, before surrounding his first home run of the night-a three-run home run by Chase Strumpf. Nelson Maldonado would follow with a double before Mercado retired the side with a groundout.
Mercado would surrender seven hits, two homers, and four earned runs in 3.2 innings pitched. Yonathan Perlaza launched a solo homer to right field to make the score 4-0 in the second inning. The Biscuits would pull back a run in the bottom of the second, thanks to an RBI-single by Evan Edwards to make it a 4-1 game.
The Biscuits struggled offensively against Bryan Hudson (1-0), who struck out the first four batters he faced after taking over for Smokies starter Javier Assad in the fourth. Nathan Witt came on for Mercado in the top of the fourth and worked 1.1 scoreless innings, and came two strikes short of throwing an immaculate inning in the fifth.
Momentum started to shift after Kameron Misner drilled a solo home run to straightaway center to make it a 4-2 game. The home run had an exit velocity of 109 miles per hour, traveled an estimated distance of 450 feet, and was Misner's first hit as a Biscuit. Edwards added a sac fly later in the inning to make it 4-3.
In the seventh, Greg Jones drew a two-out walk, then stole second base, and reached third on a throwing error by Smokies catcher Bryce Windham. Jones would electrify the crowd after nearly stealing home on a pitch in the dirt, but was tagged out by Windham to end the threat.
In the eighth, Austin Shenton blasted a deep drive to right-center, which got fans out of their seats, but was robbed of a game-tying home run by the center fielder Velazquez. Biscuit relievers Michael Costanzo and Carlos Garcia kept it a one-run game with two scoreless innings of relief each.
In the bottom of the ninth, Hill Alexander and Johan Lopez both struck out as pinch hitters, and Roberto Alvarez went down swinging against Brandon Hughes to end the game.
The Biscuits now sit at 2-2, but will look to bounce back Wednesday when Caleb Sampen faces off against Anderson Espinoza on Military Appreciation Night presented by WOW! at 6:35 PM.
The rest of the series will include Biscuits-Themed Hat Shirt Giveaway & Thirsty Thursday on Thursday, April 14; Ladies Night on Friday, April 15; The Nine Night & MAX Fireworks on Saturday, April 16; and Easter Egg Hunt with Bark in the Park on Sunday, April 17.
Southern League Stories from April 12, 2022
- Biscuits Fall to Smokies, 4-3 - Montgomery Biscuits
- Bennett and the Jets Help Shuckers' Improve to 4-0 - Biloxi Shuckers
- Chattanooga Cruises to 16-4 Home Opening Win - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Smokies Outlast Biscuits 4-3, Notch First Road Win of 2022 - Knoxville Smokies
- Lugbauer Hits 2nd Homer of Season, M-Braves Lose First Road Game to Shuckers 6-4 - Mississippi Braves
- Aviles Homers Late to Lead Blue Wahoos to First Win - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Trash Pandas Drop Home Opener to Pensacola 4-3 - Rocket City Trash Pandas
- Blue Wahoos Stadium to Host Trio of Easter Holiday Events - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Smokies Stadium Hosts No. 1 Tennessee Tonight with SEC History on the Line - Knoxville Smokies
- Full Promotional Schedule Announced for Biloxi Shuckers - Biloxi Shuckers
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