SL1 Knoxville Smokies

Smokies Strike Back With 6-4 Win

Published on July 1, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Smokies evened the score on the Huntsville Stars on Tuesday night with a decisive 6-4 victory in front of 2,896 fans. Tennessee tattooed the Stars pitching staff for ten hits on the night to pace starting pitcher Mitch Atkins to his Southern League leading eighth win of the season.

After the Stars took the early lead in the top of the first inning 1-0, the Smokies offense struck back with two runs in the third. Matt Matulia got things going with a leadoff single to center field, followed by a bunt single off the bat of newly acquired catcher Mark Reed. Atkins (8-6) then helped out his own cause with a sacrifice bunt of his own to load the bases with nobody out, thanks largely in part to Stars pitcher Brae Wright (6-7) attempting to get the runner at third. Sam Fuld then delivered with an RBI single, and Nate Spears hit a sacrifice fly just deep enough to score Reed on a close play at the plate to give Tennessee a 2-1 lead.

The Smokies offense kept the pressure on with three more runs in the fourth. Reed, who was 3 for 4 on the night, drove in two runs with a single to score Josh Lansford and Doug Deeds. Fuld's second RBI single of the night brought home Reed later in the inning to stake the Smokies to a 5-1 lead.

Atkins continued to cruise through the Stars lineup, but did allow another run to score in the sixth and then another in the seventh. He left with a 5-3 lead, going seven innings allowing eight hits while striking out eight Stars batters and not giving up a walk. Huntsville scored another run in the top of the eighth off reliever Casey Lambert that was charged to Atkins to pull within one run.

Tennessee's offense scored a key run in the bottom of the eighth on Reed's third RBI of the night, this time a single up the middle which Stars shortstop Alcides Escobar almost made an amazing diving stop. Deeds scored on the play to give the Smokies a 6-4 lead going into the ninth. Jose Ceda then closed the books on the game, blowing through the next three Stars batters and striking out two to earn his fourth save for the Smokies.

The Smokies will try to take the series lead from Huntsville on Wednesday night at Smokies Park with game time at 7:15 pm. The Smokies will send Southern League All-Star Donnie Veal (4-5, 3.22) to the mound to face off against Stars right-hander Donovan Head (0-2, 5.03). The four-game series will continue on through Thursday July 3rd.

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Southern League Stories from July 1, 2008


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