SL1 Knoxville Smokies

Smokies Set Attendance Record in Friday Split with M-Braves

Published on June 19, 2015 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


KODAK - After falling to Mississippi 6-3 by completing their suspended game from Thursday night, the Tennessee Smokies topped the M-Braves 4-2 in the seven-inning nightcap of their quasi-doubleheader in front of a single-game record crowd of 7,805 fans on Friday evening at Smokies Stadium.

With the split, Tennessee moved their 2015 mark to 37-30 in the first half, while Mississippi has now posted an even 33-33 record. The record-breaking attendance smashed the previous franchise record of 7,787 that was set earlier this year in the first game of a day/night doubleheader on May 12.

Smokies RF Billy McKinney (5-5, 3 R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB) enjoyed an oustanding stretch at the plate, combining to reach base in all seven plate appearances, including hits in all five of his at bats. Included in that was a three-hit game with one walk in Thursday's game, as well as a two-hit, two-run effort in Friday's seven-inning contest.

The Smokies entered the evening leading 1-0 after scoring in the first inning in the previous night before the contest was suspended. CF Jacob Hannemann led off with a double and then took third on a throwing error, before coming across on 1B Dan Vogelbach's RBI groundout.

Three frames later on Thursday, the rains came and forced the suspension with two Smokies on base and no outs. Vogelbach, C Taylor Davis and RF Billy McKinney all drew free passes to load the bases, however Vogelbach was erased on a force out. Tennessee would score their second run of the game, and first of the day on Friday when 3B Wes Darvill reached on a force out, pushing the Smokies ahead 2-0.

Mississippi, meanwhile, answered right back with three tallies in the fifth. SS Eric Garcia struck out to begin the frame, yet reached base on a wild pitch, took second on C Braeden Schlehuber's base hit and third on a wild pitch, before coming across on 3B Rio Ruiz's run-scoring hit to make it 2-1. CF Mallex Smith then drew the contest even with an infield bunt single to score Schlehuber, before RF KD Kang moved Mississippi to a 3-2 advantage.

Following Hannemann's game-tying RBI single in the seventh, Mississippi launched ahead with two scores in the eighth. After Ruiz ripped a base knock, 2B Levi Hyams reached on a force out to send up Garcia, who slapped a run-scoring single to right, plating Ruiz to put the Tribe up 4-3. Hyams would then immediately score when Schlehuber reached on a fielder's choice to increase the margin to 5-3.

Mississippi would then add insurance in the final frame to cap their scoring. LF Matt Lipka first got aboard courtesy of his infield bunt single, before then coming across via Kang's run-scoring double, extending their lead to three at 6-3.

Braves reliever Mark Lamm (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 SO) earned his first victory with Mississippi, while closer Tyler Jones notched his sixth save. Smokies relief man Andres Santiago (4.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) suffered the defeat to drop to 1-3 in 2015.

In the nightcap it was Mississippi who struck first, plating a single tally in the opening frame. Smith began the inning with a base knock and then took second on a groundout, before coming plateward via 1B Kevin Ahrens' run-scoring hit to center to give the Braves an early 1-0 advantage.

Tennessee countered right back, however, with two runs of their own in the second. C Willson Contreras started the rally with a one-out two-bagger and later moved on to third on McKinney's single to center before coming home on 2B Stephen Bruno's RBI base hit to left, evening the match at one run apiece. SS Bryant Flete would then send in McKinney with a smashing single up the middle to make it 2-1 Smokies.

Each team would then trade a run in the fourth. RF David Rohm began the top of the inning with a singleand went from first to third on SS Emerson Landoni's base hit to right, before scoring via C Matt Kennelly's sacrifice fly to make it a tied ballgame at 2-2 for a short period. McKinney helped the Smokies come right back thanks to his leadoff free pass, taking second on Flete's single and third on a force out, prior to being brought home courtesy of CF Jacob Hannemann's run-scoring double.

3B Mike Olt, who joined the Smokies earlier in the day on a Major League Rehab Assignment, led off with a base on balls, advanced to second on C Willson Contreras' walk, and then came home from there on McKinney's RBI single, capping the night's scoring.

Smokies All-Star starter Frank Batista (6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) tossed his ninth quality start of the season and earned his Southern League leading seventh victory after yielding two earned runs on seven hits in six innings of work. The outing actually raised the right-hander's circuit-best earned-run average to 1.70, which is still one point lower than Montgomery Biscuits southpaw Blake Snell's 1.71 ERA.

Tennessee All-Star reliever P.J. Francescon (1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO) notched his eighth save by tossing the final scoreless frame in support of Batista. Braves starter Victor Mateo (4.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO) suffered the defeat to fall to 3-4 on the year, while reliever Andrew Robinson (1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB) finished with 1.2 scoreless frames.

The two teams will once again face off on Saturday evening for the fourth game of their five-game set, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. RHP Ivan Pineyro (4-3, 3.53) is expected to get the ball for the the Smokies, while Mississippi is slated to counter with RHP Jason Hursh (2-5, 5.40).

Fans will want to arrive early, as the first 1,000 through the gates will receive a Jorge Soler Bobblehead. Gates will open beginning at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday night. In addition it's Margaritaville Night at the ballpark, with Corona beers and cheeseburgers on sale for only two dollars each as part of the festivities. The Key West Band, a Jimmy Buffett tribute band, will also be playing a post-game concert.

Tickets for that evening's matchup, as well as all other Smokies home games are still available, and can be purchased online at www.smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at (865) 286-2300.

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Southern League Stories from June 19, 2015


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