SL Knoxville Smokies

Smokies Win Game One of Championship Series

September 24, 2023 - Southern League (SL)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


KODAK, TN - The Tennessee Smokies attacked the Blue Wahoos early and often, scoring eight runs in the first three innings to win game one by a final of 8-4.

Smokies outfielder BJ Murray hit his 35th double of the season to score Matt Shaw and take a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Haydn McGeary grounded out into a double play, but it scored Murray to take a 2-0 lead. The Smokies tacked on another run in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI double by Ezequiel Pagan to score Pablo Aliendo and make it 3-0.

The Blue Wahoos got on the board in the top of the third when shortstop Nasim Nunez hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Norel Gonzalez to get the Blue Wahoos on the board. The Smokies would break the game wide open in the bottom of the third inning, scoring five runs on four hits to make it 8-1.

Pensacola scored one run in the top of the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by Paul McIntosh to make it 8-2. Down to their final out in the ninth, Pensacola infielder Cody Morissette hit a two run home run to cut the lead in half at 8-4. The next pitch, Nasim Nunez popped out to Pagan to close out game one. Brandon Birdsell got the win for the Smokies with a five inning outing, allowing only one run and striking out five.

Tennessee will take on Pensacola in game two of the Southern League Championship Series on Tuesday at Blue Wahoos Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 P.M. You can tune in on the Smokies radio network: http://milb.streamguys1.com/tennessee.

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