Torra tosses shutout, homers in 6-0 rout of Smokies
August 31, 2009 - Southern League (SL1)
Mobile BayBears News Release
KODAK, Tenn. - Matt Torra stole the show for the BayBears on Monday night at Smokies Park as he flipped a four-hit shutout and bopped a three-run homer, lifting the BayBears to a 6-0 walloping of the Tennessee Smokies.
Torra (9-13) ended up with seven punch outs in the contest while not walking a batter. He scattered just four singles over his nine frames while never allowing a man to reach third base. Jonathan Mota started the first with a single and ended up at second with one out which became the closest to a threat that the Smokies (66-68, 34-30) had all night.
Matt Tupman had his second straight solid evening at the dish for the BayBears (64-70, 27-37) as he put the visitors on the board with his second-inning double into the right-center field gap, scoring Cyle Hankerd. Hankerd began the frame by singling off Smokies starter Hung-Wen Chen (7-11).
Chen didn't pitch poorly over five innings although he got blemished again in the fourth as Tupman doubled with two outs prior to a single to right off the bat of Chris Rahl that brought Tupman to the plate.
Chen gave way to lefty Jayson Ruhlman in the sixth, and he had some issues with Ricardo Sosa and Pete Clifford beginning the frame with singles. After a strikeout of Hankerd, Tupman was walked to load the bases.
That brought David Cales into the contest in a tight spot, but he seemed to be up to the task as he forced Rahl into a fielder's choice groundout which drove home Sosa. That brought up Torra, just 1-for-33 at the plate entering the at-bat, but he smacked the first pitch he saw over the wall and outstretched glove of left fielder Ty Wright for a three-run homer. It was just the third three-run dinger by the BayBears this season.
Torra was golden on the mound from there as he finished the 113-pitch effort with 80 strikes, getting Russ Canzler to ground to third to end the contest. There was a scary moment in the ballgame as Bryan Byrne was hit in the head by a pitch in the fourth which forced his exit, but he did walk off the field on his own power.
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Southern League Stories from August 31, 2009
- Carolina sweeps doubleheader with two shutouts over Biscuits - Carolina Mudcats
- Barons Sweep Twinbill - Birmingham Barons
- Barons walk off with sweep of double dip - Huntsville Stars
- Smokies slienced by Torra, Mobile Monday night - Knoxville Smokies
- Ever Magallanes Named Southern League Manager of the Year - Birmingham Barons
- Five Barons Headline Southern League Postseason All-Star Team - Birmingham Barons
- Braves take series with 2-1 win, but Jaxx stay in first place tie - Jackson Generals
- Braves squeak by Jaxx - Mississippi Braves
- Suns even series with Monday win - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Torra tosses shutout, homers in 6-0 rout of Smokies - Mobile BayBears
- Young repeats as league's best hustler - Mississippi Braves
- Smokies' play-in game destinations determined Monday - Knoxville Smokies
- Ciriaco named to Postseason All-Star Team - Mobile BayBears
- Lalli Named to Postseason All-Star Team - Knoxville Smokies
- Vazquez Heads to Louisville, Starts Tonight - Carolina Mudcats
- Matt Peterson Named Southern League Postseason All-Star - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Wood Named S.L. Pitcher Of Year - Carolina Mudcats
- Carrera, Halman honored by Southern League - Jackson Generals
- Jennings Named Southern League MVP - Montgomery Biscuits
- Birmingham's Everardo Magallanes Named Southern League Manager Of The Year - SL1
- Carolina's Travis Wood Named Southern League Most Outstanding Pitcher - SL1
- Montgomery's Desmond Jennings Named Southern League Most Valuable Player - SL1
- Southern League announces Postseason All-Stars - SL1
- Powell off to Charlotte - Montgomery Biscuits
- Colvin Named "SL Hitter of the Week" - Knoxville Smokies
- Triunfel returns from DL, Villarreal placed on DL - Jackson Generals
- Eymann Reassigned; Tordy Sent to Sarasota - Carolina Mudcats
- SL Names Players of the Week - SL1
- Lookouts' Adkins Named Pitcher of the Week - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Torres Acquired by Tampa Bay - Montgomery Biscuits
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