Knoxville Smokies Recap: Knoxville Smokies vs. Montgomery Biscuits

July 14, 2025 - Southern League (SL)
Knoxville Smokies News Release

KNOXVILLE, TN - The Knoxville Smokies concluded their nine-game homestand at Covenant Health Park this week with a series against the Montgomery Biscuits, the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays that featured 10 of the top 30 prospects in the Rays organization. The Smokies entered the series with a 6-6 record, looking to maintain their position atop the Southern League North division. Meanwhile, Montgomery came in with a 7-5 record, fighting to stay competitive in the Southern League South division despite sitting at the bottom of their standings. With both teams battling for the second playoff spot in their respective divisions, the series carried a playoff atmosphere that made for compelling baseball throughout.

Game 1: Smokies Rally Late to Stun Biscuits in Opening Bout

The Smokies opened the series with a thrilling 5-4 comeback victory over the Montgomery Biscuits. Trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the eighth inning, Knoxville rallied for three runs to seize the lead. Catchers Pablo Aliendo and Casey Opitz both delivered clutch singles in the eighth inning, contributing to the rally that turned the game around. The Smokies capitalized on Montgomery reliever JJ Goss's control issues, as he walked two batters and hit another, providing Knoxville with a crucial free run. Pedro Ramirez and Andy Garriola paced the Smokies offense with two hits each in what proved to be a complete team effort. Despite Goss being the Biscuits' top reliever and ranking second in saves across the Southern League, he was outmatched by Knoxville's A.J. Puckett, who recorded his 13th save of the season to maintain his league-leading position in that category.

Game 2: Smokies Crumble Late

The Knoxville Smokies dropped game two to the Montgomery Biscuits 7-5, despite building a commanding early advantage. Knoxville jumped out to a 5-0 lead through the first three innings, highlighted by a four-run third inning explosion. Jordan Nwogu, BJ Murray Jr., and Pablo Aliendo all crossed the plate during the rally, with RBIs credited to Murray Jr., Reivaj Garcia, and Andy Garriola. However, the Smokies offense went completely vacant after that productive third inning, missing out on several scoring opportunities throughout the remainder of the game.

Starting pitcher Grant Kipp, typically one of Knoxville's most reliable arms, struggled through just 3.1 innings while allowing four hits, two runs, and hitting four batters. The Biscuits chipped away at the deficit, eventually knotting the score at 5-5 entering the eighth inning.

The game's turning point came on a costly fielding error by Corey Joyce, which allowed two Montgomery runners to score and gave the Biscuits a 7-5 advantage. Closer Cayne Ueckert held Montgomery scoreless in the ninth inning, but Knoxville couldn't spark a rally to complete their own comeback.

The loss dropped the Smokies to 7-7, falling back to .500 and into a tie with the Birmingham Barons atop the Southern League North division. With the series now even at 1-1, the Smokies would need to clean up their defensive miscues and capitalize on scoring chances moving forward.

Game 3: Smokies Walk Off the Biscuits

The Knoxville Smokies defeated the Montgomery Biscuits 4-3 Thursday night in dramatic fashion, claiming their first walk-off home run at Covenant Health Park. Knoxville struck first with early RBIs from BJ Murray Jr. and Ethan Hearn, setting an aggressive tone from the opening innings.

Tyler Schlaffer delivered another strong outing for the Smokies, working effectively through his second Double-A start while posting a 1.64 ERA for the game. The newcomer struck out four batters and gave up just one run, continuing his impressive early showcase in Knoxville.

Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the eighth inning, the Smokies manufactured the tying run when Felix Stevens drove home BJ Murray Jr. to knot the score at 3-3. A.J. Puckett kept Montgomery off the scoreboard in the ninth inning, preserving the tie and giving his team a chance for a late-game comeback.

After Reivaj Garcia struck out to open the bottom of the ninth, Pedro Ramirez stepped into the batter's box with the game on the line. Working a 2-1 count, Ramirez launched a towering shot toward the Modelo Watering Hole that cleared the fence, sending the Covenant Health Park crowd into a frenzy.

The thrilling victory improved the Smokies to 8-7, pushing them back above .500 while maintaining their lead in the Southern League North division. Montgomery dropped to 8-7 and fell to third place in the competitive Southern League South standings.

Game 4: Knoxville Runs Off Montgomery in Friday Night Victory

The Knoxville Smokies continued their strong play and extended their series lead to 3-1 with a 5-3 victory over the Biscuits on Friday night. Manager Lance Rymel welcomed back his preferred leadoff hitter Brett Bateman, who made an immediate impact in his return to the lineup after missing time due to a late June injury. Bateman collected three hits, drove in one run, and made his presence felt in center field, picking up where he left off.

Chris Clarke took the mound for Knoxville, entering the game with a scoreless streak for the season. That streak came to an end in the top of the third inning when Cooper Kinney drove home Homer Bush Jr. Despite the fault, Clarke remained sharp throughout his four-inning outing, striking out six batters while surrendering just the single run.

The Smokies responded immediately in the bottom of the fourth inning with a pivotal three-run sequence. Reivaj Garcia delivered the key blow with a triple that brought home BJ Murray Jr. and Pablo Aliendo. Garcia then capitalized on a Montgomery error to score himself, completing a three-run swing that gave Knoxville a 3-1 advantage.

The Smokies' bullpen took control from there, as Frankie Scalzo Jr., Sam Thoresen, and Nick Hull combined to shut out the Biscuits over the next four innings. Knoxville extended their lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh when Felix Stevens and Ethan Hearn both crossed the plate.

Cayne Ueckert entered in the ninth inning to close out the victory but immediately faced pressure from a Montgomery rally. Brock Jones launched a solo home run, and Jalen Battles followed with a double before being driven home by Homer Bush Jr., cutting the deficit to 5-3. However, Ueckert regained his composure and struck out Cooper Kinney to secure the victory and put the Smokies one win away from taking the series.

Game 5: Biscuits Rally Back with Victory, Cut Series Deficit to 3-2

The Montgomery Biscuits cut the series deficit to 3-2 after defeating the Knoxville Smokies 6-3 on Saturday night at Covenant Health Park. The loss dropped the Smokies to 9-8 and cost them their first-place position in the Southern League North division.

Montgomery's leadoff hitter Homer Bush Jr. delivered a standout performance, collecting three hits while scoring once and driving in three runs to power the Biscuits' comeback victory. The Smokies struck first when Pedro Ramirez scored on a Corey Joyce RBI in the bottom of the first inning, then extended their lead to 2-0 in the second when Parker Chavers crossed the plate on a Jaylen Palmer base hit. Smokies starter Antonio Santos worked five innings, striking out five while allowing three runs on five hits. Recent acquisition Jake Brentz struggled in relief, surrendering three runs on just one hit while walking three batters in a difficult sixth-inning appearance

The turning point came during the fifth and sixth innings when Montgomery exploded for consecutive three-run frames. Bush Jr., Gregory Barrios, and Brock Jones each contributed to the fifth-inning rally, while Barrios, Hunter Stovall, and Tres Barrera drove in runs during the sixth-inning outburst that gave Montgomery a commanding 6-2 advantage. The Smokies managed one final run in the eighth inning when Pedro Ramirez scored on a BJ Murray Jr. base hit, but it wasn't enough to spark a comeback.

Montgomery closer JJ Goss earned his 11th save of the season, moving within two of Southern League leader A.J. Puckett of Knoxville. The victory improved Montgomery to 9-8, keeping them tied for second place in the Southern League South division with the Columbus Clingstones. Meanwhile, the Smokies fell from first place in the North Division as the Birmingham Barons improved to 10-7 and claimed the top spot.

Game 6: Smokies shutout Biscuits to secure the competitive series

The Knoxville Smokies capped off their series against the Montgomery Biscuits with a dominant 3-0 shutout victory in Sunday's finale, securing a 4-2 series win heading into All-Star week.

Pedro Ramirez continued his impressive campaign, collecting two hits to push his season total to 95 and maintaining the Southern League lead in that category. His performance was pivotal in breaking open a tight contest in the sixth inning, when his double set the stage for the game's first run. BJ Murray Jr. delivered the clutch RBI, driving home Ramirez to give Knoxville a 1-0 advantage.

The Smokies extended their lead in the seventh inning through a powerful offensive sequence. Felix "Big Flex" Stevens provided the exclamation point with a towering home run to left field that brought home Garcia and pushed the lead to 3-0. Knoxville's pitching staff delivered a great performance throughout the contest. Sam Armstrong set the tone early, tossing five scoreless innings while keeping Montgomery's offense completely off balance. The right-hander remained calm and composed throughout his outing, preventing the Biscuits from establishing any offensive rhythm.

A.J. Puckett sealed the victory in vintage fashion, recording his 14th save of the season to maintain his position atop the Southern League leaderboard in that category. The closer's dominant finish capped off a complete team effort that showcased both Knoxville's offensive depth and pitching excellence, with Mitchell Tyranski, Sam Thoresen, and Brad Deppermann all contributing from the mound.

With this series victory, the Smokies entered the All-Star break on a high note, having demonstrated the balanced attack and strong pitching that positioned them well for the remainder of the season as they pursued that playoff berth.

Wrap Up

The Smokies' 4-2 series victory over Montgomery provided the perfect momentum heading into the All-Star break, showcasing the team's resilience and clutch performances that have defined their season. From Pedro Ramirez's walk-off heroics in game three to the dominant shutout finale, Knoxville demonstrated they possess the offensive firepower and pitching depth capable of a playoff run.

After the All-Star break, the Smokies will face their biggest test yet as they hit the road for a three-game series against the Birmingham Barons, the team that overtook them atop the Southern League North division during this homestand. The road trip will provide an immediate opportunity to reclaim first place before returning to Covenant Health Park to host the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

With playoff positioning on the line and the second half of the season getting more competitive, the Smokies' strong finish to this homestand positions them well for the challenges ahead.

Listen to all the action on the radio: 92.5 FM/1180 AM WKCE.

Knoxville Smokies celebrate a late win over the Montgomery Biscuits (Austin Grover)

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