Eight-Run Inning Too Much for Smokies
Published on July 3, 2007 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
Sevierville, TN - The Tennessee Smokies dropped the final game of their four game series with the Mississippi Braves by a score of 10-5 in front of a record-breaking crowd of 6,864 patriotic fans.
The Braves plated eight runs in the fourth inning to wipe away a three run Smokies lead, and Tennessee could not recover. The Smokies dropped to 9-7 for the second half of the season, while Mississippi improved to 6-10.
The crowd of 6,864 fans was the fifth largest crowd ever at Smokies Park. The four-game series attendance with the Braves was 19,801 fans, which was the highest attended four game series in Smokies Park history.
Jake Fox crushed two home runs in his first two plate appearances, his 15th and 16th to pace the Smokies early on. After the Braves took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Matt Esquivel, Fox homered over the left field wall to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom half of the first. The Smokies added another run in the 2nd inning on a sacrifice fly by Chris Robinson to score Matt Craig, and take a 2-1 lead.
It looked as if the Smokies were on their way to the series sweep after plating another two runs. Gary Cates hit a two-out single to left, which brought Fox to the plate. He crushed his 2nd home run of the game on a mammoth shot to left center field to give the Smokies a 4-1 lead.
Starting pitcher Paul Schappert (3-4) threw well for the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fateful fourth inning. Schappert gave up eight hits and was charged with eight runs. When it was all said and done, the Braves had taken a 9-4 lead. Mississippi was also aided by two Smokies error in the inning, which allowed a couple of runs to score.
Francisley Bueno (3-4) just had to hold on to a five run lead to pick up the win, and he did just that. The Smokies kept things interesting by scoring another run in the bottom half of the sixth inning off of Bueno however. After a Robinson single, his second hit of the night, Carlos Rojas reached on an error by Braves third baseman Van Pope. Robinson came home on a wild pitch by Bueno, and the Smokies pulled to within four runs. Mississippi scored an additional run to make the score 10-5 in the eighth inning, and benefited from three scoreless innings of work from their bullpen. The Smokies will take to the road for a four-game series against the Huntsville Stars beginning Wednesday July 4th through Saturday July 7th. After a three-day break for the Southern League All-Star Game, the Smokies will return home to face the Mobile BayBears on Wednesday July 11th through Sunday July 15th. Tennessee Smokies Baseball - It's A Nine Inning Vacation! Call (865) 286-2300 for tickets or purchase tickets on line at www.smokiesbaseball.com.
Southern League Stories from July 3, 2007
- Barons Ride Mercedes to 7-6 Win Over Biscuits in 13 - Montgomery Biscuits
- Huntsville Hangs On, 9-6 - Jackson Generals
- Eight-Run Inning Too Much for Smokies - Knoxville Smokies
- Bruce's Bat Beats Mudcats, 7-6 - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Mudcats Win Thriller, 7-6 - Carolina Mudcats
- Suns Overtake BayBears in Eighth - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Wild Pitch Dooms BayBears - Mobile BayBears
- Mississippi's First Lady to Throw Out the First Pitch on Independence Day - Mississippi Braves
- Montgomery Biscuits Roster Transaction - Montgomery Biscuits
- 2007 Southern League South Division All-Star Starting Lineup - SL1
- Southern League Announces Updated Rosters For All-Star Game - SL1
- Topps Southern League Player of the Month Award - SL1
- Former Atlanta Brave Greg McMichael Special Guest Speaker - Mississippi Braves
- Diamond Jaxx Roster Moves - Jackson Generals
- South Division Lineup Announced for 2007 All-Star Game - SL1
- Minaker Makes Most of Hits in DH Sweep - Huntsville Stars
- Jaxx take both ends of doubleheader - Jackson Generals
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