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SL1 Knoxville Smokies

Patient Smokies Hold off Biscuits to Win Series

June 6, 2012 - Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


MONTGOMERY, Ala. - In a game that featured 18 combined walks, the Tennessee Smokies (27-33) edged the Montgomery Biscuits, 3-2, on Wednesday night at Riverwalk Stadium to win the five-game series and secure their first three-game winning streak of the season.

Tennessee starter Trey McNutt (4-4) worked around four free passes, allowing just three hits over 5.2 scoreless innings to win for the fourth time in his last five starts.

Two of Tennessee's three runs scored on bases-loaded walks, while the Biscuits went 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position and stranded 14 runners on base. The 18 total walks were one shy of the Southern League record, set in a game between Huntsville and Columbus in 1989.

In the second inning, the Smokies loaded the bases with no outs on back-to-back singles by Justin Bour and Mike Burgess and a Matt Cerda walk before catcher Luis Flores walked to force in a run and give Tennessee a 1-0 edge. An inning later, Jim Adduci singled, stole second, and scored on a Justin Bour RBI double to make it a 2-0 contest. Tennessee took a 3-0 lead in the seventh thanks to a trio of walks and a hit batter.

The Biscuits (31-29) threatened in the sixth, loading the bases against McNutt before Jeff Antigua entered in relief and escaped the jam unscathed. Montgomery finally broke through in the seventh when Omar Luna singled with the bases loaded to cut the Biscuits deficit to 3-1.

Montgomery plated a run in the ninth against Frank Batista to make it a 3-2 contest, but the Smokies closer stranded the bases loaded as he escaped the jam to notch his eighth save of the season.

Biscuits starter Alex Colome (2-2) suffered the loss, yielding two runs on five hits with four walks over 3.2 frames. A trio of Montgomery relievers combined to allow just one run over 4.1 scoreless innings.

Offensively, Bour finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs for Tennessee. In 10 games against the Biscuits this season, Bour has driven in 17 runs.

The Smokies return home on Thursday night to begin a season-long 10-game homestand when they open up a five-game set against the Mississippi Braves. In the series opener, Tennessee will send right-hander Dae-Eun Rhee (3-2, 4.97 ERA) to the mound against Mississippi righty Zeke Spruill (5-5, 3.41 ERA) with first pitch slated for 7:15 p.m. at Smokies Park.

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