Three Smokies Homers Topple Mudcats
June 9, 2011 - Southern League (SL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release
Zebulon, NC --- The Tennessee Smokies hit three home runs en route to a 7-0 lead and coasted to a 9-3 victory over the Carolina Mudcats in the series opener at Five County Stadium on Thursday night.
Blake Lalli hit a two-run shot in the first, with Junior Lake and Josh Vitters going deep later to assist in extending Tennessee's first place lead to two games over second place Jackson with nine remaining in the first half.
Pedro Villarreal (L, 2-1) fanned eight over his five innings, but surrendered Lalli's homer on an 0-1 pitch in the first inning after a bunt single by Ryan Flaherty. The Smokies pushed ahead 3-0 in the second when Vitters hit a sacrifice fly to score Steve Clevenger, who had tripled to start the frame.
Lake hit his first Double-A homer to start the third inning, and the Smokies (38-23) tacked on another run against Villarreal in the fifth.
By the time Carolina (18-43) had scored, the Mudcats trailed 7-0. Neftali Soto stroked a single to right to bring in Denis Phipps in the sixth, with Carolina scoring twice in the seventh on a double by Henry Rodriguez in his first Double-A at-bat.
Aroldis Chapman pitched in his second Mudcats game as part of his major league rehab, and worked 1 2/3 innings, permitting two hits and two runs. Chapman walked two and fanned three and was relieved by Lee Tabor with two outs in his second inning of work.
Phipps extended his hitting streak to eight with a groundball single to left in the fourth inning. Phipps went 2-5 on the night. Eric Campbell and Jake Kahaulelio each had two of Carolina's nine hits.
Matt Klinker starts Friday night against Nick Struck at 7:15 PM ET.
Southern League Stories from June 9, 2011
- Three Smokies Homers Topple Mudcats - Carolina Mudcats
- Braves Surrender Ninth-Straight Home Game - Mississippi Braves
- Peralta's 10 Ks Shoot Stars Past Generals, 6-2 in Game One - Huntsville Stars
- Smokies Crush Carolina 9-3 - Knoxville Smokies
- Corbin Sets BayBears Record in Win Over Barons - Mobile BayBears
- BayBears Bind Barons, 4-1 - Birmingham Barons
- Barnese Hurls Six Shutout in 4th-Straight Win - Montgomery Biscuits
- Generals Drop Opener in Huntsville - Jackson Generals
- Suns Fall to Biscuits 5-2 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Goldschmidt Named SL Topps May Player of the Month - Mobile BayBears
- Two Huntsville Pitchers Added to Southern League All-Star Roster - Huntsville Stars
- Four Smokies Named to North's All-Star Starting Lineup - Knoxville Smokies
- IF Jose Castro to DL - Carolina Mudcats
- Jarrett Grube Named North Division All-Star Starter - Jackson Generals
- Barons Host Auctions for Tornado Relief - Birmingham Barons
- 2011 Southern League North Division All-Star Starting Lineup - SL1
- C.J. Retherford Released, Kenshin Kawakami Activated - Mississippi Braves
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