Blair Blanks Smokies 3-0 To Even Series
Mobile starting pitcher Aaron Blair twirled seven shutout innings, yielding only three hits and keeping Tennessee hitters off balance all night, while catcher Matt Pagnozzi's second-inning two-run base knock proved to be plenty of run support as the BayBears blanked the Smokies 3-0 on Thursday evening at Smokies Stadium.
Mobile rose their record back above the .500 mark to 23-23 with the win, while Tennessee dropped to 25-22 on the season as a result of the loss. The Smokies entered this evening three and a half games back of the North Division leading Chattanooga Lookouts, and are at risk of falling back to four and a half behind the Lookouts depending on the outcome of Chattanooga's matchup with the Biloxi Shuckers.
Blair (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO) dazzled in his exceptional outing, earning his fourth victory to improve to 4-2 after allowing three hits in seven shutout frames, adding a lone walk while fanning four batters. The right-hander faced the minimum through the first 4.2 innings before allowing a two-out single to 1B Anthony Giansanti, with the only blemish before that point a free pass in the first inning to RF Bijan Rademacher. Rademacher later in the frame would be caught stealing second to end the initial frame and keep Blair's pace.
Tennessee also got base knocks from pinch hitter Billy McKinney in the sixth and Rademacher in the seventh, however both were eliminated on the basepaths via a forceout and double play, respectively, as the Smokies were not able to get a runner into scoring position throughout the evening. CF Albert Almora made strong contact twice against Blair, though on both occasions the ball was hit directly at fielders with line drive outs at third base and first base.
Right-handed relievers David Hernandez (1.0 IP, 1 SO), who is currently with the BayBears on a Major League Rehab Assignment and Adam Miller (1.0 IP, 1 SO) would get behind Blair and combine for the final two perfect frames to finish the shutout. Hernandez notched his first hold with Mobile, while Miller received his sixth save.
Smokies starting pitcher Frank Batista (5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) suffered his first loss of 2015 after entering with a 5-0 record, though the Tennessee trio of Stephen Perakslis (1.0 IP, 1 BB), Tyler Ihrig (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO) and Fernando Cruz (1.0 IP) joined forces to toss the last four innings of one-hit scoreless ball. Batista had come into tonight's matchup tied for the Southern League lead with five victories, while also compiling a league-best 1.11 earned-run average, and now ranks second in the circuit with a 1.51 ERA following tonight's effort.
Mobile got the only runs they would need in the second frame courtesy of four consecutive singles, capped by Pagnozzi. RF Zach Borenstein started the rally with a one-out single, while SS Sean Jamieson and CF Socrates Brito followed with base knocks of their own to send up Pagnozzi, who slapped a two-run single into left-center to give the BayBears their initial 2-0 advantage.
Two frames later, that margin would grow to three with an insurance tally. With two outs, Pagnozzi drew a free pass before scampering all the way around from first to score when Blair helped his own cause with an RBI triple to center field, the hurler's first knock of the season.
The shutout marked the sixth time this season the Smokies have been held without a run, with all of those occasions taking place in the month of May. Tennessee had brought across at least one score in each of their first 27 games of 2015, though they have now been blanked in six of their last 20 matchups.
BayBears LF Alex Glenn (3-4) was the only player from either side to record a multi-hit effort for either side on the evening after collecting a trio of singles, while Rademacher (1-2, 1 BB) reached base twice for the Smokies after being activated from the Disabled List earlier in the day. Tennessee C Willson Contreras saw his seven-game hit streak come to an end after failing to record a hit in three at bats after batting .370 (10-27) with two runs scored, five doubles, a homer and eight RBI in that span.
Tennessee and Mobile are set to face off again in the third game of their five-game set on Friday evening, with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. in Kodak. RHP Corey Black (1-2, 3.24) is anticipated to toe the rubber for the Smokies in the middle game of the series, while the BayBears are slated to counter with RHP Braden Shipley (2-3, 5.11).
It's another Remote Area Medical Friday Night at Smokies Stadium, which will include a spectacular post-game fireworks show presented by Pepsi, Coors Light, Dollywood's Splash Country, WVLT, WIVK and the Knoxville News Sentinel. It's also Daddy Daughter Date Night at the ballpark, with a special ticket package devoted to a fun evening for dads and their daughters. Two ticket vouchers, two meal vouchers, a t-shirt and pint glass for dad, as well as a t-shirt and pink mini-bat for the daughter and field viewing for the fireworks show are all included in this outstanding deal for only $59 dollars.
For more information on Daddy-Daughter Date Night, or to purchase tickets tomorrow night's contest, as well as all other remaining Smokies home games, fans are encouraged to visit the Smokies online at smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at (865) 286-2300.