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SL1 Knoxville Smokies

Shutout Performance in Rubber Match Gives Smokies Series Win

August 5, 2019 - Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


PEARL, MS - The Tennessee Smokies (49-65, 16-29) and the Mississippi Braves (55-60, 22-22) split a doubleheader, but the Smokies managed to win the rubber match of the series to maintain a perfect 4-0 record in road rubber matches this season.

Mississippi held onto their lead from Sunday's game which got postponed to Monday, winning 3-1 while the Smokies clapped back with a 1-0 win in the second game.

In continuation from Sunday's game, the two sides resumed the game in the bottom of the second with a 2-0 Braves lead. Mississippi tacked a pair of runs on in the first courtesy of RBI=singles from Trey Harris and Greyson Jenista.

Smokies RHP Michael Rucker took over for RHP Jake Stinnett (L, 1-3) and dealt 3.2, two-hit, six strikeout innings.

The Braves picked up where they left off in the first frame played in game one. Daniel Lockhart dribbled a ball into center scoring Alejandro Salazar and Mississippi's third run.

The Smokies offense had great success putting runners aboard but struggled bringing them home. Ten runners were left on base for Tennessee. The lone run came from a Jared Young sacrifice fly in the sixth scoring Nico Hoerner.

Getting the job done on the mound for the Braves, RHP Claudio Custodio (W, 4-3) tossed three scoreless innings, and RHP Jason Creasy (S, 5) secured the 3-1 win by stranding a pair of runners in the top of the ninth.

In game two, a seven inning contest,, the Smokies were the ones jumping out to an early lead. Young added his second RBI of the night by singling in Hoerner in the top of the first.

Starting in game two, RHP Erick Leal (W, 2-3) entered the night on a losing skid for Tennessee, but he rebounded well by pitching five, four hit scoreless frames. Braves RHP Nolan Kingham had a solid outing by giving up one run in five innings, but that one run would prove to be the difference.

In the final frame, LHP Wyatt Short (S, 9) continued to answer the call for closing out games. He walked the first runner but induced a double play to erase the tying run on base.

Before beginning a ten-game homestand, the Smokies get a day off on Tuesday while traveling home to prepare for a five game series against the Biloxi Shuckers on Wednesday at 7 pm EDT at Smokies Stadium.

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