Velazquez's Homer Not Enough as Smokies Fall to Lookouts
April 30, 2022 - Southern League (SL)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
Chattanooga, Tenn. - The Tennessee Smokies (10-9) fell 3-2 to the Chattanooga Lookouts (12-8) Saturday night at AT&T Field in the fifth game of their series. With the win, the Lookouts took a 3-2 series lead over the Smokies.
Right fielder Nelson Velazquez kept up his scorching hot start to the season as he launched his eighth home run of 2022 in the third inning off Chattanooga starter Carson Spiers. Velazquez is now batting .264 on the year with a 1.035 OPS and 15 RBIs.
Velazquez's two-run homer accounted for the Smokies' only scoring of the contest, as Spiers otherwise limited the damage. He struck out seven Smokies over five innings of work. Chattanooga's bullpen combined for four shutout frames, and Tennessee went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position, leaving eight men on base.
Tennessee right-hander Javier Assad allowed two runs in four innings of work, a Quin Cotton RBI double in the first and Chuckie Robinson homer in the third. Brandon Leibrandt (1-2) took the loss as he surrendered a go-ahead home run to TJ Hopkins in the seventh.
The Smokies and the Lookouts will play the sixth and final game of their series on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. ET when the Smokies send right-hander Anderson Espinoza (0-1, 7.45 ERA) to the mound to face Chattanooga's Eduardo Salazar (1-2, 6.14 ERA).
The Smokies will be back in action at Smokies Stadium on Tuesday, May 10 for a seven-game series against the Montgomery Biscuits. Tennessee will celebrate Peanut Free Night on Tuesday and National Chocolate Chp Cookie Day on Saturday before finishing the weekend with Family Funday on Sunday. For tickets, fans can call the box office at (865) 286-2300 or visit smokiesbaseball.com.
Southern League Stories from April 30, 2022
- Velazquez's Homer Not Enough as Smokies Fall to Lookouts - Knoxville Smokies
- Six-Run Inning Helps Shuckers Separate in 9-1 Win over Wahoos - Biloxi Shuckers
- Delgado's Two-Run Single Lifts M-Braves over Montgomery in 10-9 Comeback Win - Mississippi Braves
- Biscuits Can't Mount Comeback, Fall 10-9 - Montgomery Biscuits
- Hopkins HR Lifts Lookouts Past Smokies - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Bush Baffles Barons Bats in 4-1 Trash Pandas Win - Rocket City Trash Pandas
- Johnston Homers in 9-1 Loss to Shuckers - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Smokies Fall Short to Lookouts in Extras Despite Ninth Inning Comeback - Knoxville Smokies
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