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SL1 Knoxville Smokies

Smokies Hold off Wahoos for 5-4 Opening Night Victory

April 16, 2015 - Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


Opening Night with the Tennessee Smokies
Opening Night with the Tennessee Smokies
(Knoxville Smokies, Credit: Andrew Green)

KODAK - The Smokies held off a late-inning Blue Wahoos charge, while first baseman Dan Vogelbach reached base three times and left fielder Pin-Chieh Chen threw out the potential tying run at home plate in Tennessee's 5-4 triumph over Pensacola 5-4 in front of 3,323 fans on Opening Night at Smokies Stadium.

The series-opening victory improved the Smokies' record to a 4-2 overall mark in 2015, while the Blue Wahoos fell to 1-4. The win in the club's home opener also gives Tennessee a three-game winning streak that dates back to April 12.

The Blue Wahoos struck first in the initial frame with a pair of tallies. CF Beau Amaral and SS Zach Vincej began the inning with back-to-back base knocks, with Amaral moving to third on the latter before coming home on RF Jesse Winker's RBI single to right to push Pensacola ahead. The lead would then double to two courtesy of LF Sean Buckley's sacrifice fly to left, though the promising rally was cut short when Vogelbach gloved a line drive and then touched first for an inning-ending unassisted double play.

Tennessee, however, cut the deficit in half in the very next inning. Following 3B Christian Villanueva's free pass, Vogelbach and C Willson Contreras slapped consecutive singles, before Villanueva came across on a groundout to put the Smokies on the board.

After evening the contest with a score in the third, Tennessee broke out with a trio of runs in the fourth to snag the advantage. Vogelbach led the frame with a single, and then moved to third on Contreras' two-bagger down the left field line, before Bruno smashed a single up the middle to make it 3-2. After SS Elliot Soto drew a base on balls to put a Smoky on every base again, pinch hitter Dustin Geiger plated Contreras with a sacrifice fly to center, while Bruno subsequently scored on a groundout to give Tennessee a three-run lead.

Pensacola later on would then be robbed of what would turn out to be an all-important tally in the sixth. Winker began a two-out rally attempt with a single, and then took second on a hit by pitch to bring up Waldrop. The left-handed slugger slapped an opposite field hit to left, with Smokies LF Pin-Chieh Chen fielding the ball and then firing a one-hop strike to the plate, with Winker nailed at the plate on Contreras' tag.

The Blue Wahoos still would not go away quietly, however, narrowing the margin to one in the top of the seventh. 3B Seth Mejias-Brean began the rally with an infield single and 2B Ryan Wright walked prior to both being sent home after C Yovan Gonzalez crushed a two-run down the left field line to cut the Smokies' advantage to 5-4.

Pensacola also threatened the in final frame, placing the tying run 90 feet away and the go-ahead run on base. With two outs, pinch hitter Marquez Smith doubled down the left field line, and then took third on a wild pitch, while Amaral walked to represent the potential go-ahead run. Smokies reliever P.J. Francescon, however, beared down and struck out SS Zach Vincej to finish the job.

Francescon notched his first save of the season after recording the final four outs, while Tennessee reliever Michael Jensen (2.0 IP 2 H, 2 SO) earned the victory with two shutout frames. Smokies starter Corey Black (4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO) did not factor in the decision after yielding two earned runs on three hits, adding five punchouts in four frames, and Pensacola starter Marcus Walden (3.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) suffered the loss.

Vogelbach (2-3, 1 R, 1 BB), Contreras (2-4, 1 R, 1 2B) and Bruno (2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI) each recorded multi-hit efforts for Tennessee in the victory, while Winker (2-4, 1 RBI) was the lone Pensacola batter with two hits or more. Vogelbach reached base in three of his four plate appearances in the contest, meaning he has now gotten on base in 16 of his first 27 times at the plate for the Smokies.

Next up for the Smokies and Blue Wahoos is a Friday night doubleheader, with first pitch of the twinbill opener set for 5:30 p.m. ET. Tennessee is expected to give the ball to RHP Ivan Pineyro (0-0, 6.75) in game one, while Pensacola is scheduled to send out RHP Daniel Wright (0-1, 20.25). LHP Jeffry Antigua (NR) is expected to get the nod in the nightcap for the Smokies, while RHP Tim Adleman (0-1, 1.50) is slated to take the hill for the Blue Wahoos.

It's the first Remote Area Medical Friday Fireworks night, with post-game fireworks courtesy of Pepsi, Coors Light, Dollywood's Splash Country, WVLT, WIVK and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. It's also the first College Colors Night of the season, with spring football in full swing in Tennessee. Fans are encouraged to dress in their favorite college colors at the game, with fight songs from various schools playing throughout the evening.

Tickets for that game and the rest of the five-game homestand are on sale, and can be purchased online at smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at 865-286-2300. Multi-game voucher packs and season tickets are also still available.

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Images from this story

Opening Night with the Tennessee Smokies
Opening Night with the Tennessee Smokies
(Andrew Green)		   



Southern League Stories from April 16, 2015


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