Smokies one game closer to championship with win Saturday
Published on September 12, 2009 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. - Russ Canzler and the Tennessee Smokies crept one game closer to a spot in the Southern League Championship Series Saturday night at Smokies Park. Canzler's timely pinch-hit double in the fourth inning propelled the Smokies to a 5-2 win over the Huntsville Stars and gave Tennessee a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.
Saturday night's game began with solid pitching from both teams. Tennessee's Andrew Cashner and Huntsville's Mark Holliman kept the game scoreless up until the fourth inning. Stellar defense by middle infielders Starlin Castro and Jonathan Mota helped Cashner early on as well. Mota's diving stop and dazzling flip to Castro began an inning-ending double play in the second and he turned another in the third with an assist by Cashner to keep Huntsville off the board.
Huntsville broke through with two runs off Cashner in the fourth to go up 2-0. Jonathan Lucroy delivered a one-out double to right to bring in teammates Lorenzo Cain and Drew Anderson.
The Smokies responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Manager Ryne Sandberg decided to have Canzler pinch-hit for Cashner. The move paid off handsomely as Canzler cleared the bases with a three-run double to left, giving the Smokies a 3-2 lead.
Cashner and Holliman left the game after four innings. Cashner allowed two runs on four hits, walking one and striking out one. Holliman, a former Smokies pitcher, allowed three runs on four hits, walking three and striking out three. Neither would factor in Saturday's decision.
Tyler Colvin's sacrifice fly off Stars reliever Josh Wahpepah gave the Smokies a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Jim Adduci completed the scoring as he crossed home on a Wes Littleton bases-loaded walk in the eighth.
Tennessee's bullpen fared much better than Huntsville's. Alex Maestri delivered 1.2 scoreless innings for the Smokies, while David Cales (1-0) pitched a scoreless 2.1 innings in relief to get his first win of the postseason. Brian Schlitter (S, 2) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second save in the series.
The Smokies will look to close out the best-of-five series Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at Smokies Park. Hung-Wen Chen (0-0) will get the start for Tennessee and face Brandon Kintzler (0-0). Tickets can be purchased at www.smokiesbaseball.com, by calling (865) 286-2300 or at the Smokies Park ticket office.
Southern League Stories from September 12, 2009
- Smokies one game closer to championship with win Saturday - Knoxville Smokies
- Smokies Come From Behind to Win Game Three - Huntsville Stars
- Suns, Barons Suspended in Game Three of South Division Series - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
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