Hannemann Stars in Smokies' 12-3 Victory
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - In a game the Smokies absolutely had to have, CF Jacob Hannemann came through with the best game of his young professional career. The 24-year old tied a career-high with four hits, set a career-best with six runs batted in and clubbed his first pro grand slam in Tennessee's 12-3 win over the Jacksonville Suns on Saturday afternoon at The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
The victory snapped the Smokies' two-game losing streak and improved their record to 33-29 on the season. At press time, the Smokies sit four games back of the Chattanooga Lookouts for first place in the Southern League North Division with seven games left in the first half. Jacksonville's loss eliminates them from playoff competition in the season's opening half and drops the Suns to 28-34 overall.
Hannemann's (4-6, 2 R, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, SO) big day started right out of the gate. A night after being shutout and one-hit, Tennessee's center fielder cranked the second pitch of the ballgame off the wall in right for a leadoff triple. After SS Elliot Soto (0-5, BB, 2 SO) walked and LF Bijan Rademacher (1-5, R, BB) popped out, 1B Dan Vogelbach (2-5, R, RBI, BB) put the Smokies ahead. After going hitless in his first three games back off the disabled list, the left-handed slugger lined a RBI single to left to put Tennessee in front, 1-0.
After Jacksonville tied the game up in the third on a sacrifice fly by 1B Viosergy Rosa (0-4, RBI, SO), the Smokies offense began to utilize the long ball. Leading off the top of the fourth, RF Billy McKinney (1-5, R, HR, RBI, SO) cranked a 2-2 pitch from Suns' starter RHP Austin Brice (4.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) into the bleachers beyond the right field wall. The solo blast was McKinney's first as a Smokie and put Tennessee back in front, 2-1.
The score would not remain that way for long. Four pitches later, 2B Stephen Bruno (3-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) drove one over the right field fence as well. The New Jersey native's second long ball of the season extended the advantage to 3-1.
3B Wes Darvill (2-3, 2 R, RBI, BB) continued the rally with a walk and moved to third on an error. Following back-to-back punch outs by Brice, Hannemann came through with his second extra-base hit of the game. The left-handed speedster ripped a RBI double down the line in right to score darvill and put the Smokies ahead, 4-1.
Tennessee would blow the game wide open against Suns' reliever LHP Chipper Smith (1.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, SO) in the fifth. The southpaw kicked started his afternoon by issuing walks to Rademacher and Vogelbach and with one out, Bruno ripped a double to center to score the former and extend the Smokies lead to 5-1.
Darvill followed by driving home Vogelbach with a sacrifice fly to right and C Tyler Pearson (0-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 SO), making his Smokies debut, walked to put runners on the corners. Pinch-hitter Albert Almora Jr. (1-1, RBI) showed no signs of rust coming off the bench, as he roped a RBI single to right, scoring Bruno, to increase the Smokies lead to 7-1. Hannemann continued his offensive masterpiece by ripping another RBI double to right to push the Tennessee advantage to 8-1.
The Suns added a run in the sixth on a RBI single by CF Kenny Wilson (1-4, RBI, BB, SO) to trim the Jacksonville deficit to 8-2, but Tennessee would quickly get that run back and more. Against Suns reliever RHP Casey McCarthy (2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, SO), Darvill singled and Pearson walked to leadoff the top of the seventh. After pinch-hitter Willson Contreras (0-0, BB) walked to load the bases, Hannemann stepped in again. The former third-round pick clobbered a 1-2 pitch from the right-hander well into the bleachers in right for a grand slam. The home run, the first since his opening game with Tennessee on April 28, was Hannemann's first career grand slam and it put Tennessee ahead, 12-2.
Matt Juengel would smack his 11th home run of the season, a solo shot, in the top of the eighth inning to trim the lead to 12-3, but that would be the final tally of the game. In the bottom of the ninth, after a leadoff walk to Juengel, the rains arrived and the game was called.
Smokies starter RHP Ivan Pineyro (4.0 IP, 6 H, R, ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) tossed four innings of one-run ball, but did not go deep enough into the contest to qualify for the win. Long reliever RHP Tayler Scott (2.0 IP, H, R, ER, 4 BB, SO) struggled with his control, but tossed two frames to tally his second win with Tennessee.
Brice (4.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) surrendered four runs on seven hits over four innings to take his fifth loss of the season. Jacksonville's bullpen duo that followed him, Smith and McCarthy, combined to allow eight runs on eight hits over 3.2 innings.
Hannemann's effort (4-6, 2 R, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, SO) stole the show, as the Orem, Utah resident compiled a career-high six runs batted in and tied a career-best with four base-hits. His four extra-base knocks were also a Smokies' season-best, as were his 11 total bases.
Not to be outdone, Bruno (3-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) collected a season-high three hits and drove in a pair. Vogelbach (2-5, R, RBI, BB) and Darvill (2-3, 2 R, RBI, BB) each recorded multi-hit games, as well. RF Carlos Lopez (2-4, BB, SO) and SS Austin Nola (2-3, 2 BB) each compiled two hits for the Suns in defeat.
RHP Jacob Turner (0-1, 4.50 ERA) is scheduled to make his second rehab start tomorrow afternoon for the Smokies. He is expected to be opposed by RHP Trevor Williams (3-6, 4.21 ERA), who is slated to take the ball for Jacksonville.
The Pilot Pre-Game Show will kick off the broadcast at 11:50 a.m. ET, leading up to a 12:05 p.m. ET first pitch from The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. Friday night's broadcast can be heard exclusively on Sports Radio 99.1 FM and 990 AM, as well as SmokiesBaseball.com or via the TuneIn Radio app.
The Smokies will return home on Wednesday night, to wrap up the first-half with a series against the Mississippi Braves, the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. It will be a We're Cooking All-You-Can-Eat Wednesday where fans can receive all-you-can-eat hamburgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, french fries and soda for less than twenty dollars. It is also quarter-way to St. Patrick's Day Night, which will feature special games, music and green beer.
Single-game tickets, as well as multi-voucher and season ticket packages are still available, and can be purchased online at smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at 865-286-2300.
ABOUT THE TENNESSEE SMOKIES
The Tennessee Smokies are the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Members of the ten-team Southern League, Smokies baseball has been entertaining families and fans of America's national pastime in the East Tennessee region for over 100 years. To learn more about the Tennessee Smokies, visit www.smokiesbaseball.com.