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PCL1 New Orleans Baby Cakes

Smolinski's Walk-Off Homer Saves Zephyrs

July 30, 2013 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
New Orleans Baby Cakes News Release


St. Amant's Reid Brignac hit a two-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to pull the Colorado Springs Sky Sox into a 2-2 tie, but Jake Smolinski answered with a walk-off, two-run homer of his own in the bottom of the inning, lifting the New Orleans Zephyrs to a dramatic 4-2 victory on Tuesday night.

After Kevin Kouzmanoff led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, Smolinski ripped a line drive into the right field corner for the game-winner off Mitchell Boggs, the Zephyrs' third walk-off win of the season. Smolinski has homered four times in his last 10 games, and his team-leading nine home runs this season are a new career high for the 24-year-old outfielder.

The Zephyrs' league-best pitching staff flexed its muscle for the first eight innings, highlighted by the return of starter Brad Hand, who spent nine weeks on the disabled list with an oblique injury. Hand allowed three hits over five scoreless innings, struck out five and walked two, and lowered his ERA to 1.42 in 15 career starts at Zephyr Field.

Kouzmanoff gave Hand an early lead, stroking a two-out double in the first inning to score Gil Velazquez, who had walked. The same combination provided another run in the third, as Velazquez walked with one out, advanced to second on a ground out and scored on Kouzmanoff's single up the middle.

Kouzmanoff finished 3-for-3, and is now batting .394 over his last nine contests.

Hand turned the 2-0 lead over to the bullpen in the sixth inning, ans Zach Phillips retired all six batters he faced, including four by strikeout. Jonathan Albaladejo worked out of a jam in the eighth by fanning Kent Matthes with runners at the corners and two outs, and Hatcher was summoned to close the game in the ninth.

The Pacific Coast League's saves leader with a team-record 28 saves, Hatcher quickly retired the first two batters before issuing a walk to Tim Wheeler. Brignac, a top draft pick out of St. Amant High School in 2004, then ripped a 1-1 offering from Hatcher over the fence in right-center field to tie the game.

It was only the third blown save of the year for Hatcher (3-2), but his second in the last week. He was credited with the victory, while Boggs (0-1) took the loss in his Colorado Springs debut.

Former Zephyr Chris Volstad pitched six innings for the Sky Sox, and allowed two runs and five hits with five strikeouts.

The Zephyrs and Sky Sox meet in the second game of the series on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

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