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SL1 Knoxville Smokies

Late Rally Falls Short

August 3, 2007 - Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


Sevierville, TN - A couple of timely hits by Montgomery, as well as a controversial foul ball call cost the Tennessee Smokies tonight as they fell to the Biscuits by a score of 6-5. Smokies starting pitcher Donnie Veal pitched four strong innings, but ran into trouble in the fifth and sixth innings, giving up six runs in two innings. With the loss, the Smokies dropped to 22-20 for the 2nd half of the season in front of 4,636 disappointed fans.

Montgomery got the scoring going early tonight, thanks to a leadoff triple off the bat of Fernando Perez that right fielder Issmael Salas had trouble locating. With Perez on third, Brooks Baddeaux grounded weakly to shortstop Robinson Chirinos, who chose to get the force out at first rather than risk the throw home. Veal worked his way out of the rest of the inning, but Montgomery had a 1-0 lead.

Veal was sharp through four innings of work, but ran into more trouble from the Biscuits in the top of the fifth inning. Gabriel Martinez singled to lead off the inning off Veal, and then scored on a towering home run by Rhyne Hughes to give the Biscuits a 3-0 lead. The situation became bleaker when the Biscuits plated three more runs off of Veal in the sixth inning to take an apparently commanding 6-0 lead. The Smokies would not quit however, and stormed back into the game in the bottom half of the sixth. With the bases loaded and one out in the inning, Robinson Chirinos and Nate Spears walked in runs in consecutive at bats to cut the lead to 6-2.

In what proved to be the pivotal play of the game, Alan Rick ripped a hard line drive down the first base line for what appeared to be a potential bases clearing double. First base umpire Doug Levy called the ball foul while jumping out of the balls path, and all the runners were sent back, much to the ire of Smokies manager Pat Listach. Rick then hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field to score Jorge Cortes to pull the Smokies to within 6-3. Tennessee continued to mount a comeback against the Biscuits, but were unable to take advantage of their opportunities. The Smokies scored a run in the eighth inning, but were unable to capitalize more with bases loaded and one out. Issmael Salas crushed a home run to deep left field in the bottom of the ninth, his sixth of the season, with nobody out to pull the Smokies to 6-5. That would be all the offense could muster however.

Donnie Veal (6-9) suffered the loss for the Smokies, despite retiring 12 of 13 batters to begin the game. James Houser (5-4) picked up the win for Montgomery, with Dale Thayer notching his 20th save of the season.

The Smokies will host Montgomery in game three of this five game series on Saturday night beginning at 7:15 pm. Tennessee will send right-hander Mike Nannini (0-0, 2.89) to the mound to face Biscuits right-hander Chris Mason (12-4, 2.52). Tennessee Smokies Baseball - It's A Nine Inning Vacation! Call (865) 286-2300 for tickets or purchase tickets on line at www.smokiesbaseball.com.

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Southern League Stories from August 3, 2007


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