Smokies Split Doubleheader with Suns Friday Night
Published on July 6, 2012 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
KODAK, Tenn. - The Tennessee Smokies spilt a doubleheader with the Jacksonville Suns Friday night, winning Game 1, 5-1, and falling in the nightcap, 3-1. The Smokies are now 8-10 on the season's second half, 43-45 overall. With the Game 1 win, Smokies skipper Buddy Bailey collected his 1,600 career managerial victory.
Tennessee starter Eric Jokisch wasn't fooling the Suns' offense in Game 1. The Suns came out and plated one run in the first inning on a RBI single by Jeff Dominguez to give Jacksonville a 1-0 lead.
Jokisch (4-1) settled in allowing only three more Jacksonville hitters to reach base over his final five innings. He ended his night allowing a run on five hits, one walk, while striking out two in six innings of work.
After being held hitless in the first two innings the Smokies tagged Suns starter Matt Neil (1-4) for five runs in the third inning. Mike Brenly started things off with a single and ended up at third after Nate Samson and Jim Adduci walked, Justin Bour brought his league-leading RBI total to 63 by driving in Brenly and Samson with a two-run single to right. Adduci easily scored on Greg Rohan's double and Mike Burgess capped the onslaught with a two-run single, scoring both Bour and Rohan to give the Smokies the 5-1 lead.
After three scoreless innings in the nightcap, the Suns jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning. Paul Gran hit his third home run of the season off Tennessee starter Nick Struck. Two more runs came home on RBI hits by Jeff Dominguez and Kyle Jensen.
The Smokies brought the score to 3-1 in the bottom half of the fourth. With one out Adduci laid down a bunt single and raced to third on a throwing error on Jacksonville catcher Jake Jeffries. Juan Apodaca put the Smokies on the board with a sac-fly to right to plate Adduci.
Tennessee was unable to make a comeback in the seventh after getting the leadoff man on with a walk, as A.J. Ramos (S, 8) was able to induce a game ending double play to end the inning.
Struck drops to 9-8 on the season after giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits and sitting down six.
Former Smokie James Leverton took a no-decision in his 4.1 innings of work, giving up an unearned run on four hit and struck out four. Joshua Schmidt (3-3) picked up the after throwing two-thirds of an inning.
The Smokies will kick off a three-game series with the Chattanooga Lookouts on Saturday night at 6:15 at Smokies Park. The Smokies will start RHP Dae-Eun Rhee (5-4, 5.46) and Chattanooga will counter with RHP Allen Webster (3-8, 4.40). The first 2,500 fans will receive a free Smokies cap, courtesy of U.S. Cellular and WBIR TV-10. For tickets and more information, visit www.smokiesbaseball.com or call (865) 286-2300.
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