Smokies Smash Biscuits with 4-2 Series-Opening Win
Published on July 2, 2015 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
KODAK - Smokies catcher Taylor Davis and center fielder Albert Almora Jr. each launched solo homers, while starter Pierce Johnson earned his second win with five solid frames of work as Tennessee triumphed over the Montgomery Biscuits by a score of 4-2 on Thursday evening at Smokies Stadium.
The victory improved the Smokies' second half record to 4-2, in addition to a 43-32 overall mark in 2015. Montgomery, meanwhile, dropped to 4-2 since the All-Star Break and 38-36 over the course of the entire campaign.
Prior to the game, Tennessee welcomed their four millionth fan in Smokies Stadium history dating back to when the ballpark first opened on April 20, 2000. Alan Berry of Knoxville, Tennessee was the distinguished guest, winning a prize pack that included tickets to a number of local East Tennessee attractions, as well as Smokies merchandise and gift cards to Food City and Calhoun's.
Once the game got started, it was the Biscuits who struck first, plating a lone tally in the fourth. C Justin O'Conner led off with a single and then moved from first to third via 3B Patrick Leonard's base hit to right, before coming plateward on SS Leonardo Reginatto's run-scoring infield single to push Montgomery ahead 1-0.
Tennessee would answer back and grab the advantage with a two-spot in the next inning. The Smokies started the fifth with the longball, as Davis drove a 3-1 offering over the left-center wall, his fourth with Tennessee this year, to even the contest at 1-1. 3B Wes Darvill would later walk, and then steal second, prior to being brought home thanks to CF Jacob Hannemann's RBI two-bagger to right. Davis' longball extends the 26-year-old's single-season career-high home run total to seven, including the three he mashed with Triple-A Iowa earlier this year.
The Smokies would later double the margin to two in the seventh. Following SS Elliot Soto's one-out base knock, Darvill contributde to the cause again, crushing a triple off the right-center field wall to send Soto in all the way from first base and make it a 3-1 tally.
Montgomery's deficit would narrow back to one, however, with a single tally in the eighth. After O'Conner slapped a one-out double down the left field line, 1B Jake Bauers followed with a two-bagger of his own to right, bringing home O'Conner to cut Tennessee's lead to 3-2.
That narrow lead would increase again very soon after, however, thanks to Tennessee's second big fly of the evening. With one out in the last of the eighth, Almora Jr. slammed a 1-0 pitch over the Calhoun's At The Yard deck in left field, pushing the Smokies' advantage back to two.
Hannemann (2-4, 2B, RBI) was the lone hitter from the home side to record a multi-hit effort, while O'Conner (3-4, 2 R, 2B) and Leonard (3-4, 2B) each collected a game-high three hits in the contest. Tennessee's two roundtrippers also marked the 14th time this season the club has left the yard more than once in a single contest. Overall this season, the Smokies now own a 24-5 record when they homer at least once in a game.
Smokies starter Pierce Johnson (5.0 IP, 6 H, R, ER, BB, 4 SO) earned the victory after allowing a lone earned run on six hits in five innings of work, improving his 2015 record to 2-0. Through his first four starts with the Smokies this season, the Colorado native has compiled a 2-0 record and 1.08 ERA (2 ER in 16.2 IP), yielding a single earned run in two of those four outings.
Tennessee relievers Tayler Scott (2.2 IP, and P.J. Francescon came on in support of Johnson, joining forces for the final four frames to preserve the victory, with Scott receiving his first hold and Francescon his 11th save. Montgomery starter Ryne Stanek (5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO) suffered the defeat to fall to 3-2 after allowing two earned runs on thre hits, adding three walks and five strikeouts in 5.2 frames.
The Biscuit and Smokies are scheduled to wrap up their three-game homestand with a doubleheader on Friday evening, with game one set for a 6:05 p.m. start time. Both games are slated to last seven innings in regulation.
LHP Rob Zastryzny (0-1, 6.35) is anticipated to get the nod for Tennessee in the first contest of the evening, and is slated to be counter by Montgomery RHP Austin Pruitt (3-3, 3.09). RHP Andres Santiago (1-3, 4.42) is slated to toe the rubber in the nightcap for the Smokies, while RHP Jared Mortensen (5-3, 3.29) is set to take the hill for the Biscuits.
As part of the Smokies' Red, White and Boom homestand, the club will be celebrating Independence Day early with a post-game fireworks following the conclusion of the second game. Tickets for Friday's originally slated game are good for both matchups, with gates opening at 5:00 p.m. as part of Remote Area Medical Friday.
Tickets for all remaining 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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