Pena Vaults Smokies into First Place with 6-1 Win over Lookouts
June 4, 2015 - Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
KODAK - Smokies starting pitcher Felix Pena scattered four hits and allowed only one run while striking out seven in seven innings of work, while designated hitter Kyle Schwarber smashed two hits and drove in two runs as Tennessee took sole possession of first place in the North Division with a 6-1 victory over the Chattanooga Lookouts on Thursday evening at Smokies Stadium.
The win was the fourth consecutive triumph for the Smokies as they improved to 31-23 on the year, while Chattanooga droped to 29-23. Tennessee had entered tonight's game tied for first in the division with the Lookouts, though Chattanooga were still three percentage points better than the Smokies.
Pena (7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO) dazzled over his seven solid frames, allowing only four base knocks while fanning seven and walking only one batter. The right-hander did not surrender a hit until the fourth, with SS Jorge Polanco starting the inning with a base knock, and faced just four batters over the minimum in his outing.
The Dominican Republic native improved to 5-2 on the season, and now ranks second on the team in victories behind only Frank Batista, who is tied for the Southern League lead in that category with Lookouts starter Jose Berrios. Thanks to his seven punchouts, Pena also finishes the evening ranked second in the circuit in strikeouts, trailing only Berrios (77).
Tennessee struck first in the initial frame via small ball. Cubs LF Chris Denorfia, who joined the Smokies earlier on the day as part of his Major League Rehab Assignment started the Smokies order with a double to left-center, and then took third via CF Albert Almora's base knock to center, before coming plateward on C Willson Contreras' RBI groundout to give the Smokies the early 1-0 advantage.
The score would remain the same until the fifth, when the lone blemish on Pena's outing was recorded. Chattanooga 1B Mike Gonzales led off the frame with a solo blast over the right field wall, his third homer of 2015, to even the contest at one run apiece.
The Smokies, however, would explode for four scores in the seventh to go ahead for good. 2B Stephen Bruno began the rally by reaching on an error and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt prior to reaching third via RF Jacob Hannemann's base knock, eventually scoring on an error on that play to put Tennessee up 2-1. 1B Wes Darvill and SS Bryant Flete followed by recording a single and hit by pitch, respectively, to load the bases for Denorfia, who would draw a bases-loaded walk to force in the third tally of the contest. After a force out at the plate, Schwarber then stepped up and drove in Flete and Denorfia by slapping a two-run single up the middle to cap the four-run inning at 5-1.
The very next frame, Tennessee would add additional insurance with their final score of the evening. Bruno again reached to start a frame, this time courtesy of a leadoff single, prior to moving to second on a hit by pitch and third on a fielder's choice before coming plateward on a run-scoring groundout, extending the margin to five.
Schwarber (2-4, 2 RBI) was the only Smokies hitter to record a multi-hit effort in the contest, the left-handed slugger's seventh such performance in a span of ten games, while Denorfia (1-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB) also reached base twice via a hit and a free pass. No Lookouts batters collected more than one base hit in the matchup.
Contreras also continued his torrid stretch at the plate, and has now recorded a hit in 14 of his last 15 games dating back to May 20. In that time frame, the backstop has hit .379 (22-58), adding ten runs, five doubles, three homers, 16 RBI and seven walks.
Smokies reliever Stephen Perakslis (2.0 IP, 2 SO) shut the door on Chattanooga by tossing the final two perfect innings, adding two strikeouts. On the other side, Lookouts starter Greg Peavey (6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO) suffered the defeat despite recording a quality start, falling to 4-2 after allowing three runs, two of which were earned, on five hits in 6.1 innings.
Tennessee and Chattanooga are set to finish their five-game road/home series on Friday evening at Smokies Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The Smokies are slated to give the ball to RHP Ivan Pineyro as they go for the five-game sweep, while the Lookouts have not yet announced their starter.
The East Tennessee skies will light up on Remote Area Medical Friday night with a post-game fireworks show after the game presented by Pepsi, Coors Light, Dollywood's Splash Country, WVLT, WIVK and the Knoxville News Sentinel. In addition it's Back to the Future Night at the ballpark, with the Smokies celebrating the time-traveling trilogy with specially themed games, graphics and music from the movies.
Tickets for that night's game, and all other remaining Smokies home games are still available, and can be purchased online at smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at (865) 286-2300.
Southern League Stories from June 4, 2015
- Brigham Tosses Complete-Game One-Hitter - Mississippi Braves
- Pena Vaults Smokies into First Place with 6-1 Win over Lookouts - Knoxville Smokies
- Suns Top Biscuits 5-1 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Biscuits Drop Third-Straight in Jacksonville - Montgomery Biscuits
- Chris Denorfia Joins Smokies on MLB Rehab Assignment - Knoxville Smokies
- Limited Quantity of Opening Night Tickets to be Released to Public Tomorrow Morning - Biloxi Shuckers
- Jenkins, Smith Claim Monthly Honors - Mississippi Braves
- Michael Reed Named Brewers' Minor League Player of the Month for May - Biloxi Shuckers
- RHP Jaye Chapman to Colorado Springs, LHP Trevor Seidenberger Added from Brevard County - Biloxi Shuckers
- The Mobile BayBears Survivor Celebration Night June 5th - Mobile BayBears
- Querecuto Transferred to Biscuits - Montgomery Biscuits
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