Smokies Drop Both Games Of Double-Header To Generals

SEVIERVILLE - The Smokies dropped both of their seven-inning games to the Generals on Friday evening. Thursday's suspended contest resumed in the fifth inning for game-one of the double header and Tennessee fell 12-9. The Generals took game two by a count of 2-1 in eight innings.

IF Chesny Young was strong at the dish for the Smokies in both contests as he went 4-for-8 over the two-game span with two runs scored.

With the losses, the Smokies sit at 7-7 in the second half and 35-49 overall while the Generals improved to 8-6 and 54-30 on the season.

The Smokies and Generals resumed their suspended contest in game-one of the double-header in the fifth inning with Jackson leading Tennessee 9-8.

The Generals' offense stayed hot as they picked up one run in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth frame. 2B Tim Lopes (2-4, RBI, R, BB, SO) drove home LF Patrick Brady (1-3, 2 R, BB) from third pushing the Generals' lead to 10-8.

DH Ryan Casteel (1-3, 2 RBI, R) led off the sixth with a solo shot to left field and two at-bats later C Steve Baron (1-3, 2 R, RBI, BB) smoked a home run over the left field wall making it a 12-8 contest.

The Smokies were able to make it a 12-9 ballgame in the bottom of the seventh as RF Billy McKinney (2-4, R, SO) smoked a double to center field that moved C Victor Caratini (1-4, 2 R, SO) who was driven home on a groundout off of the bat of 1B Ben Carhart (1-4, 2 RBI, R).

RHP Paul Blackburn (3.0 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, SO) was handed the loss in game-one of the double-header as he started the contest on Thursday night.

RHP R.J. Alvarez (2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 HR, 2 SO) started on the mound as the game resumed in the fifth frame while RHP Forrest Snow (2.0 IP, 1 H, 3 SO) took the mound for Jackson and earned the win in the seven-inning affair.

Tennessee grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning in the second game of the evening. 2B Chesny Young (2-4, R, SO) led off with a double down the right field line and was immediately driven home thanks to a single from LF Ian Happ (1-4, RBI, SO).

LHP Clayton Richard, who was assigned to the Smokies on July 7 on a Major League rehab assignment, was in command on the mound. Richard (4.2 IP, 3 H, R, ER, 4 SO) retired the Generals in order in both the second and third innings with three strikeouts in those two frames.

"Richard moved his fastball in and out, mixed his off-speed in very efficiently, and worked extremely quick," Smokies' manager Mark Johnson said. "It was fun to watch."

Jackson was able to tie the contest in the top of the fourth inning . SS Benji Gonzalez (4-4, RBI, R) got the offense going with a one-out double to left field and moved to third as CF Leon Landry (0-3, 2 SO, BB) grounded out to third. 1B Ryan Casteel (1-4, RBI, 2 SO) drove home Gonzalez as he smoked a double to left field tying things at 1-1.

RHP David Garner (1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 SO) took over for Richards with two outs in the fifth as Richards' night was done after throwing 61 pitches. The former Michigan State Spartan found himself in a jam in the sixth inning. 2B Tim Lopes (2-4, R) drove a single to left field and stole second base during the next at-bat. Gonzales moved him to third putting runners on the corners for Jackson with only one retired, but Garner got out of the jam with two straight strikeouts.

"Garner is getting his fastball back, you saw the radar gun," Johnson said. "I don't normally talk about radar guns but he got his velocity back. He's got that extra life at the end that we're used to seeing out of him and his slider is back. Really good outing, really encouraging outing from Garner tonight. He had that second inning out that was a little stressful, but very positive outing."

RHP David Berg (2.0 IP, 4 H, R, ER, SO, BB) replaced Garner to start the seventh inning and was able to get out of the frame by getting 3B Brock Hebert (0-3, SO) to ground into a double play with a runner on second. Berg dropped to 1-2 on the season as he picked up the loss for Tennessee.

The Generals were however able to grab the lead in the first extra inning which was jumpstarted by a one-out double off of the bat of Lopes who later stole third base. Gonzalez drove in Lopes with a single to left field giving Jackson their first lead of the game, 2-1.

LHP Ryan Yarbrough (6.0 IP, 6 H, R, ER, 5 SO, BB) was strong on the mound as he made the start for Jackson before RHP Dan Altavilla (2.0 IP, H, 3 SO) took over to start the seventh and was handed the win improving to 6-2 on the year. 

The Smokies welcome the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, for game-one of a five-game series on Saturday night with the first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. EST. RHP Brad Markey (6-4, 2.78 ERA) will take the mound for Tennessee while Chattanooga will turn to LHP David Hurlbut (6-4, 3.55 ERA).

The Pilot Pre-Game Show will kick off the broadcast at 6:50 p.m. ET, leading up to the 7:05 p.m. ET first pitch. Saturday evening's broadcast can be heard on Sports Radio WNML 99.1 FM and 990 AM and online at http://smokiesbaseball.com/ or via the TuneIn Radio or MiLB First Pitch apps. 

In honor of legendary bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and many others, the Smokies will have special music, on-field games and videoboard graphics as a part of the celebration on Saturday night. The first 250 fans through the gates on Saturday will receive a Beachball Giveaway courtesy of Alzheimer's Tennessee. Following the final out, there will be a stellar Postgame Fireworks display presented in partnership with Alzheimer's Tennessee.

The Tennessee Smokies Charity of Choice for the 2016 season is Alzheimer's Tennessee. Alzheimer's Tennessee's mission is to serve those facing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, to promote brain health through education, and to champion global prevention and treatment efforts. For more information on how to join the Tennessee Smokies in helping Alzheimer's Tennessee achieve their mission, please visit http://www.alztennessee.org/smokies/.

Single-game tickets, as well as multi-voucher and season ticket packages are still available, and can be purchased online at http://smokiesbaseball.com/, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at file://localhost/tel/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 http://www.smokiesbaseball.com/.