SL1 Knoxville Smokies

Smokies Fall To Braves In Game 3 Friday Night, 7-4

Published on August 20, 2010 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


KODAK, Tenn. - In a series defined by comebacks, the Tennessee Smokies fell one rally short in Friday night's contest with the Mississippi Braves. A late three-run deficit was too much to overcome for the Smokies as they fell to the Braves, 7-4. The loss, in front of the 13th-largest crowd in Smokies Park history at 6,831, drops the Smokies to 5.5 games ahead of Huntsville in the Southern League North second-half race with 16 games to go.

Friday night's start mirrored that of the previous night, as Mississippi jumped to an early 1-0 lead thanks to a Mauro Gomez solo home run. The Braves added a second in the third on a fielding error by the Smokies' Russ Canzler to go up 2-0.

Tennessee cut the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth but could have had more. With two outs and a runner on second, Blake Lalli singled to right to plate Brandon Guyer and cut Mississippi's lead to 2-1. After Canzler walked to put runners on first and second, Braves starter Erik Cordier (10-7) got Tony Thomas to hit a soft roller back to the mound for the third out of the inning.

The Braves added runs in the fifth and sixth to go up 4-1 and would make the sixth inning Muschko's last. On the night, he allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits, striking out five and walking one. The no-decision ended his five-start win streak.

Down 4-1 in the sixth, the Smokies answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame to tie the game up at four. Blake Lalli's 369-foot home run just cleared the wall in left-center to plate himself, Brett Jackson and Brandon Guyer. Lalli's 2-for-3, four-RBI effort paced the Smokies offense.

Momentum swung back to the Braves as they put three runs up on the board off reliever Ryan Buchter (7-2) in the top of the seventh to regain the lead at 7-4.

Tennessee would not threaten again until the bottom of the ninth, doing so off Mississippi's Juan Abreu. Things started off strong for the home team as consecutive singles by Steve Clevenger and Nate Samson put runners on first and second with no out. Pinch-hitter Matt Spencer would fly out to right though, and Abreu (S, 9) got Marwin Gonzalez to hit into a double play to end the game.

The two teams will battle in Game 4 Saturday night at 6:15 at Smokies Park. The Smokies' Chris Archer (7-1, 1.26) will start tomorrow against J.J. Hoover (0-0, 0.00) for the M-Braves. Tickets for the game can be purchased at www.smokiesbaseball.com or by calling (865) 286-2300.

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Southern League Stories from August 20, 2010


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