Smokies Come Back, Stun Biscuits, 5-2
Published on August 7, 2021 under Southern League (SL)
Montgomery Biscuits News Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Biscuits (46-36) were one strike away from staying in first place in the Double-A South, but the Tennessee Smokies (35-44) came back and stunned the Butter and Blue, 5-2, in eight innings on Saturday night at Riverwalk Stadium.
After rain delayed the beginning of the game by almost three hours and thus shortening it to a seven-inning affair, Jayden Murray made his fourth start of the season for the Biscuits and struck out a pair in a one-two-three first. Smokies starter Javier Assad followed that up with a one-two-three bottom of the first, striking out Austin Shenton.
Murray and Assad each worked a perfect second inning, with both right-handers tallying their third strikeouts in the second frame. Moises Gomez hit a wall-ball double to right-center for the game's first hit in the bottom of the third, but the Biscuits couldn't cash in.
Murray remained perfect through the fourth, recording four strikeouts. In the bottom of the fourth, Jim Haley scorched a groundball to third and Chase Strumph of the Smokies did not field it cleanly, allowing Haley to take second on the error. Shenton singled, and then Ruben Cardenas brought home Haley on a sac fly to center to make it 1-0 Biscuits.
Murray retired the first 14 batters of the game before Strumph reached on an infield single with two outs in the top of the fifth. Murray then struck out Christopher Morel looking for his sixth and final punch-out of the game.
Adrian De Horta came on for Murray in the top of the sixth, and struck out the side, getting Carlos Sepulveda on a 3-2 pitch with Tyler Payne left stranded at third with the tying run. Joel Peguero (2-6) came on in the top of the seventh, but a two-out RBI-single by Morel on a two-strike pitch tied things up at one, thanks to some aggressive baserunning by Jared Young.
In the top of the eighth, Delvin Zinn's RBI-fielder's choice put the Smokies on top for the first time, 2-1. Young then punched a two-run single to left to make it 4-1, and a Nelson Velazquez RBI-triple extended that lead to 5-1. The Biscuits pulled a run back in the bottom of the eighth on an Xavier Edwards RBI-double, before Bryan Hudson (5-2) struck out Shenton to end the game.
The Biscuits, who are now in second place a half-game behind the Mississippi Braves, will try to close out the series with a win against the Smokies on Sunday afternoon when Easton McGee (2-0) squares off against Caleb Kilian (0-0) with Lil' Crumbs Kids Club presented by Go Fish Alabama & Bark in the Park at 3:33 PM CT.
Southern League Stories from August 7, 2021
- Smokies Come Back, Stun Biscuits, 5-2 - Montgomery Biscuits
- Daniel, Didder, and Doubles in a 14-2 Win - Rocket City Trash Pandas
- Lookouts Lose 14-2 - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Wahoos Rebound from Friday's Loss with Shutout Win over Biloxi - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- On the Other Foot - Wahoos Blank Shuckers 4-0 - Biloxi Shuckers
- M-Braves Deal Three-Hit Shutout, 1-0, over Barons - Mississippi Braves
- Saturday, August 7 at Birmingham Barons: 6:30 PM CT: Regions Field - Mississippi Braves
- Lookouts Win 11-1 over Trash Pandas - Chattanooga Lookouts
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
