Duo carries Smokies to first home win, 4-2
Published on April 16, 2009 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. - The 1-2 punch of Hung-Wen Chen and Blake Lalli was too much for the Birmingham Barons Thursday night, as the duo played key roles in the Tennessee Smokies' 4-2 win over the Barons at Smokies Park. The hard-fought come-from-behind win, in front of 2,023, was the first for manager Ryne Sandberg at Smokies Park.
Birmingham jumped on the board first Thursday when Smokies 3B Kyle Reynolds misplayed a liner off the bat of the Barons' John Shelby in the top of the third. Lee Cruz scored from second on the error, giving Birmingham a 1-0 lead. They would go up 2-0 in the fourth, when Tyler Flowers scored on a Dayan Viciedo single to left off Chen.
Barons starter Kyle McCulloch was cruising along up until the fifth inning, when the Smokies offense finally broke through. With one out and runners on first and third, Matt Camp hit a grounder to Barons 1B Brandon Allen. Allen stepped on first for the second out of the inning, and then threw to SS Gordon Beckham, who caught the Smokies' Darwin Barney in a rundown between second and third for the third out. Richie Robnett did score from third though, cutting the Barons' lead to 2-1.
Tennessee would take the lead in the sixth, thanks to a two-out, two-run double by Blake Lalli. His timely hit to center brought home Kyle Reynolds and Ty Wright, making it 3-2 Smokies.
In the eighth, manager Ryne Sandberg inserted in Brandon Guyer to pinch-hit for Kyle Reynolds. The move paid off as Guyer launched a deep fly to left that caromed off the wall, scoring Jonathan Mota to make it 4-2 Smokies. The Smokies almost added another in the frame, but Barons LF David Cook's laser throw to home on Wright's single threw out Guyer at the plate.
Smokies relievers Vince Perkins and Jayson Ruhlman held the Smokies lead into the top of the ninth, holding the Barons hitless in the process. Blake Parker (S,1) came in with one out in the ninth and picked up the save, his first of the year.
Chen (2-0) dazzled again in only his second Double-A start. He scattered six hits across 6.1 innings, allowing only one earned run and striking out four. He did not walk a single Barons hitter.
The Smokies and Barons resume their five-game series Friday night at Smokies Park, with Birmingham's Aaron Poreda (0-1, 2.25) squaring off against Tennessee's Casey Coleman (1-0, 1.80). Friday's game will feature the Smokies' first "Fireworks Friday" of the young season. Tickets to the game can be purchased online at www.smokiesbaseball.com or by calling (865) 286-2300.
ABOUT THE TENNESSEE SMOKIES The Tennessee Smokies are the minor league Class AA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Members of the 10-team Southern League, Smokies baseball has been entertaining families and fans of America's national pastime in the East Tennessee region for almost 100 years. To learn more about the Tennessee Smokies, visit www.smokiesbaseball.com - powered by Comcast.
Southern League Stories from April 16, 2009
- Big 8th Inning Hurdles BayBears Past Mudcats - Mobile BayBears
- Another Dramatic Win for Huntsville - Huntsville Stars
- Biscuits Take Wild Path to Win, 5-1 - Montgomery Biscuits
- Duo carries Smokies to first home win, 4-2 - Knoxville Smokies
- Suns Blast Jaxx for Fifth Straight Win - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Jaxx blasted by Suns 11-6 on Thursday night - Jackson Generals
- Mistakes Plague Lookouts in 5-1 Loss - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Gamble to Gwinnett - Mississippi Braves
- Jaxx Game Notes - Jackson Generals
- AAA Night Tomorrow at Hank Aaron Stadium - Mobile BayBears
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