Candelario & Contreras Combine to Club Barons 6-5
Published on August 4, 2015 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
SEVIERVILLE - Smokies third baseman Jeimer Candelario drove in five runs, three of which came courtesy of a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth, while catcher Willson Contreras collected three hits to take the Southern League lead in batting average and southpaw starter Rob Zastryzny recorded his first Double-A victory as Tennessee held on for a 6-5 win over the Birmingham Barons on Tuesday evening at Smokies Stadium.
The triumph improved the Smokies' record to 17-20 in the second half of the season to draw to within eight games of the Barons, while also raising their overall tally to 57-50. Birmingham, meanwhile, dropped to 25-12 since the midpoint of the season, as well as a 58-48 clip throughout the entire season.
Candelario (2-4, R, 2B, HR, 5 RBI) drove in a season-high five RBI in the contest as he continued to thrash Southern League pitching while extending his hit streak to ten games. Over that streak, the 21-year-old has hit .412 (16-38) with four runs, three doubles, two homers and 12 RBI. His biggest knock of the evening came in the sixth, smashing a three-run blast to right to break a 3-3 draw and provide all-important tallies.
Contereras began the inning with a single, his third hit of the evening, and then took second on a wild pitch, while RF Billy McKinney drew a walk to bring up Candelario. With an 0-1 count, the 21-year-old crushed his second longball with the Smokies just in front of the Pioneer Porch in right field, giving the Smokies a three-run cushion that would ultimately decide the contest.
Tennessee also struck first, plating a trio of tallies in the opening frame. CF Jacob Hannemann led off the Smokies order with a bloop single to left, while DH Albert Almora Jr. and LF Bijan Rademacher each reached base on infield bunt singles to load the bases for Contreras, who added to his team-leading hit total with an infield run-scoring single to give Tennessee the early 1-0 advantage. Candelario would add to that margin by slamming a two-run double off the left field wall to push the lead to 3-0.
The Barons would cut into that deficit with a pair of scores in the fourth. 3B Nicky Delmonico and 1B Danny Hayes recorded back-to-back one-out base hits to get the inning started before Delmonico came plateward via 2B Joey DeMichele's RBI single to right to put Birmingham on the board. Hayes would then subsequently score via DH Adrian Nieto's run-scoring base knock to left, making it a one-run ballgame.
That deficit would then be erased two innings later thanks to Hayes. Delmonico first drew a leadoff walk before coming all the way around from first to score when Hayes lifted a double into the right-center field gap, knotting the contest even at 3-3.
After allowing Candelario's shot in the sixth, the Barons came back to cut the Tennessee lead back to two with a run in the seventh. After Anderson reached base on a forceout to extend the inning and took second on a passed ball, May mashed a single up the middle into center field, narrowing the contest back to a two-run margin.
The deficit would then shrink once more in the eighth, cutting the contest down to the slimmest of margins, though outstanding defensive play kept the Smokies ahead. Hayes began the frame with a line drive single to right, and took second on a wild pitch, while DeMichele reached on a walk before both runner advanced 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt to bring up Walker. The left-handed hitter lifted a soft line drive toward center field, but Tennessee CF Jacob Hannemann made an outstanding diving catch to rob Walker of a hit, though Hayes would score on the play that went down as a sacrifice fly.
Smokies reliever P.J. Francescon (1.1 IP, 2 SO) shut the door from that point forward, however, tossing 1.1 perfect frames to notch his Southern league leading 17th save of the campaign. Tennessee starter Rob Zastryzny (6.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) earned his first Double-A victory after allowing four runs, three of which were earned, on seven hits in 6.1 innings, while relief man Corey Black (1.1 IP, 2 H, R, ER, BB) received his sixth hold.
Contreras (3-4, R, RBI) paced the Smokies order with hit three base knocks, his fourth straight contest in which he has tallied two or more hits, while raising his 2015 batting average to a Southern League best .331 clip, while Candelario (2-4, R, 2B, HR, 5 RBI) and Hannemann (2-4, R) also recorded two hits. Hayes (3-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI) was the lone Barons batter to record a multi-hit effort with his three-hit game.
Barons starter Mark Blackmar (6.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, BB, SO) suffered the defeat to fall to 5-5 on the year after yielding six earned runs on eight hits in six innings of work. Birmingham reliever Raul Fernandez (2.0 IP, H, BB, 2 SO) kept the club in striking distance, however, holding Smokies bats quiet with two shutout frames.
The Smokies and Barons are set to face off in the fourth game of their five-game series, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Smokies Stadium. Tennessee is expected to give the ball to RHP Ryan Williams (5-2, 3.33), while Birmingham is anticipated to counter with RHP Frankie Montas (3-2, 2.43).
Fans will want to come hungry and prepared to feast for We're Cooking All You Can Eat Wednesday, with unlimited hot dogs, hamburgers, corn dogs, nachos, French fries and soda available for the low price of $19.99, which includes game ticket. Kids 12 and under All You Can Eat tickets are only $17.99, while discounted upgrades are available for current ticket holders and season ticket holders. The Smokies will also begin the Countdown to the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics Wednesday evening, paying homage to the Olympics through on-field games, music and videoboard graphics.
Tickets for all remaining home contests at Smokies Stadium are still available and can be purchased online at smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at 865-286-2300.
Southern League Stories from August 4, 2015
- Hader Dominant in Shuckers' Three-Hit Shutout Win over BayBears - Biloxi Shuckers
- Pensacola Takes Golden Skillet for First Time in History - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Shuckers Shutout Mobile 3-0 - Mobile BayBears
- Diaz Denied by Lookouts Tuesday - Jackson Generals
- Suns Drop Pair of Contests with Wahoos 12-1, 1-0 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Candelario & Contreras Combine to Club Barons 6-5 - Knoxville Smokies
- Birmingham Falls 6-5 in Offensive Tug-Of-War - Birmingham Barons
- Lopez Repeats as Brewers Minor League Pitcher of the Month in July - Biloxi Shuckers
- Robertson Activated; Reginatto to AAA - Montgomery Biscuits
- Riddle to New Orleans - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Generals to Host Labor Day Event at the Ballpark - Jackson Generals
- Smokies Earn 2015 Tennessee Attraction of the Year Award - Knoxville Smokies
- Shuckers Fall on Walk-Off Wild Pitch in the Ninth - Biloxi Shuckers
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