Smokies fail to gain ground Saturday, lose 6-4
Published on August 23, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. - Following a 4-1 series win this past week against South division nemesis Montgomery, the Tennessee Smokies had quite a bit of momentum heading into a crucial five-game series Saturday night against the Chattanooga Lookouts. And after jumping out to an early 4-2 lead in front of a packed house of 6,819, the Smokies were looking to ride the tide to another win.
It wasn't meant to be though, as the Lookouts scored four unanswered runs to take down the Smokies, 6-4. With the Carolina Mudcats also losing to Huntsville Saturday night, the Smokies remain six games behind with nine to go.
The Lookouts Danny Dorn got the visitors on the board with a two-run home run off Smokies starter Marco Carrillo. Walks again plagued the Smokies pitching staff as Carrillo walked the first batter of the game, Michael DeJesus, setting up Dorn's early heroics.
The Smokies would rebound with four runs in the second. Josh Lansford drove in the first run for the home team with a single to center, scoring Matt Matulia. A few batters later Sam Fuld's single to right brought in Lansford and Mark Reed, giving the Smokies a 3-2 lead. Fuld would later score himself on a single by Nate Spears to left, stretching the Smokies lead to two.
The Lookouts would pick away at the Smokies' lead with two runs in the fourth to tie the game at four. Additional runs in the sixth and eighth would put the Lookouts up for good, giving Lookouts starter Ben Jukich his 10th win of the year. Jukich was less than deserving of the win, giving up four runs and seven hits in six innings. However, teammates Robert Manuel and Joe Valentine (S,3) combined to throw three scoreless innings.
Carrillo's line was similar to that of Jukich Saturday night. He gave up five runs and seven hits in six innings, falling to 2-1 on the year in Double-A action. He did strike out five in the loss. Reliever Greg Reinhard came in for Carrillo, giving up one run on three hits in two innings of work. Casey Lambert pitched a scoreless ninth.
The two teams take to the field Sunday night in Game Two of the series. The Smokies' Esmailin Caridad (6-3, 3.52) will face off against the Lookouts' Travis Wood (3-8, 6.65). Tickets to the game, which will feature 80s Night at Smokies Park and a special post-game concert by The Breakfast Club, can be purchased online at www.smokiesbaseball.com or by calling (865) 286-2300.
Southern League Stories from August 23, 2008
- West Tenn beats Montgomery - Jackson Generals
- Huntsville wins over Carolina - Carolina Mudcats
- Stars Take First From Mudcats - Huntsville Stars
- Smokies fail to gain ground Saturday, lose 6-4 - Knoxville Smokies
- Three-Run Eighth Propels Suns to Victory - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- BayBears and Braves rained out - Mobile BayBears
- Braves and BayBears Saturday Night Game Postponed - Mississippi Braves
- From the Field - Huntsville Stars
- The Onslaught Continues - Huntsville Stars
- First Pitch Ceremony Ongoing - Huntsville Stars
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