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SL Knoxville Smokies

Morel Homers, Drives in Four in Doubleheader Split

August 20, 2021 - Southern League (SL)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


SEVIERVILLE, TN - The Tennessee Smokies (40-49) split a doubleheader with the Birmingham Barons (49-42) Thursday night at Smokies Stadium. The Smokies won the first game 5-1, then dropped the night cap 6-5. Christopher Morel homered and drove in four runs across both games, and the Smokies got another great outing from Javier Assad in game one.

Tyler Payne's two-run single in the second inning of game one got the scoring started. With the bases loaded in the third, Morel came to the plate and hit a three-run double down the left field line to extend the Smokies lead to 5-0.

Birmingham scored their lone run off of Assad (W, 4-6) in the sixth, when Yolbert Sanchez's RBI single scored Craig Dedelow. Assad tried to finish the game, but was pulled with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh. Brandon Hughes (SV, 1) came in, threw one pitch, and induced a game ending double play.

Assad earned the game one win, he allowed five hits and a walk in a season-high 6.1 innings pitched. Hughes needed just one pitch for his first save of the season.

The Smokies were the road team in game two. In the top of the second inning, Morel's solo home run to left field started the scoring. Sanchez tied the game in the third with a solo home run and Birmingham took the lead in the fourth when Lenyn Sosa scored on a groundout.

Both teams scored twice in the fifth inning. In the top half, Carlos Sepulveda's two-run home run put the Smokies in front, 3-2. With two outs in the bottom half, Yoelqui Cespedes hit a game-tying RBI triple. Cespedes would score the go-ahead run on Sosa's RBI double.

Romy Gonzalez's two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth gave the Barons a 6-3 lead heading into the seventh. With two-outs and runners on second and third, Nelson Velazquez hit a two-run single. Velazquez was thrown out at second by Cespedes trying to stretch a single into a double to end the game.

Brennen Davis finished the doubleheader 3-for-6 with a double and a walk. Sepulveda's home run in game two was his second, Morel's was his team-leading 14th.

The Smokies and Barons continue their series Friday night at Smokies Stadium. First pitch between RHP Caleb Kilian (0-2, 5.06) and RHP Blake Battenfield (7-5, 4.94) is scheduled for 7 PM. Fans can hear all Smokies games by going to https://www.milb.com/tennessee/fans/audio-listen-live.

There will be a post game fireworks show presented by Pepsi and Coors Light Friday night. Tickets for the remainder of the Birmingham series are available and can be purchased online, over the phone, or by visiting the box office.

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Southern League Stories from August 20, 2021


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