Generals Swept by Smokies in Twin-Bill
Jackson, Tenn. - For the first time in 2016, the Jackson Generals were swept in a doubleheader Tuesday night in Jackson. The Tennessee Smokies took the first contest 4-2 in ten innings before dropping the Generals 11-5 in the nightcap. Tennessee's Kelly Dugan and Ben Carhart combined for ten hits and four home runs over both games to hand the Generals a third-straight loss for only the third time all year.
For Jackson (35-22, 81-46), it was the first time the team had lost consecutive games since July 18 and 20. The team had not lost two-straight home games since May 6 and 7. Despite the two victories, Tennessee (24-33, 52-75) has still taken just five of 17 from the Generals this year.
Game One: Tennessee 4, Generals 2 (10 innings)
The Generals came back in dramatic fashion to force extras in the opener, but Tennessee prevailed 4-2 thanks to a 10th-inning blast from Ben Carhart. All six runs scored in the contest came via the long ball.
The Generals trailed 2-0 heading into the sixth before finally getting to Jen-Ho Tseng. With one out and nobody on, Tyler O'Neill smashed a solo shot to left field to get Jackson on the board. The home run was his 23rd of the season, putting him in sole possession of the lead in all three Triple Crown categories.
Down to their final out in the seventh, pinch-hitter Ryan Casteel extended the contest for Jackson with a game-tying home run to left-center. The Generals went on to load the bases with two outs, but failed to push the winning run across. The Generals left 11 men on base in the game while going 0-for-6 with men in scoring position.
The Smokies finally came through in the 10th inning, as Ben Carhart took Ryne Harper (4-4, 2.52) deep with a two-run shot to put Tennessee on top 4-2. David Berg (2-4, 6.46) worked a pair of scoreless frames in extras to earn the victory on the mound.
Andrew Moore worked overtime as Jackson's starter, pitching eight innings while allowing just two runs. Both came on one swing, as Kelly Dugan drilled a two-run homer in the fifth inning. Moore needed just 95 pitches to get through eight innings. The right-hander has gone eight frames in three of his last five starts.
Game Two: Tennessee 11, Generals 5
Ryan Casteel hit another big home run in the second game, but it wasn't enough as Tennessee put up 14 hits en route to an 11-5 victory over the Generals. Kelly Dugan and Ben Carhart, who each homered in the first game, added another long ball in the nightcap.
The Smokies jumped out to an early 6-0 lead with two in the second inning and four more in the third against Kyle Hunter (3-3, 4.57). Carhart, who entered the day with two home runs, clubbed his second big fly of the day in the second inning to make it 2-0. In the third, Tennessee plated four on a double, a wild pitch and two errors to go up 6-0.
Jackson's comeback began in the third inning. With the bases loaded, Adam Law stroked an RBI single to left field to put the Generals on the board. Law had two hits in both games, pushing his average to .346 with Jackson. Tyler O'Neill followed with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to four. O'Neill's 96 RBI are just one shy of the single-season franchise record of 97 set by Julio Zuleta in 1999.
In the fourth, Tim Lopes and Dario Pizzano got on base for Casteel and the infielder came through again with a three-run bomb to left field. His third homer of the year brought the Generals within one at 6-5.
That was as close as Jackson got, as Tennessee scored the final five runs of the contest. Kelly Dugan led off the fifth inning with a solo homer to make it 7-5. In the sixth, the Smokies scored four runs with two outs. Forrest Snow entered with two on and two out and surrendered three-straight hits. David Freitas drove in a pair with a double before Dugan and Carhart each had RBI hits to follow. When all was said and done, it was 11-5 Tennessee. Dugan and Carhart each had three hits in the second game.
Juan Paniagua (5-3, 3.88) picked up the win in relief for the Smokies. The right-hander retired all 11 men he faced over four perfect innings.
Jackson's magic number remains at 10, as Montgomery picked up a win Tuesday night while the Generals dropped both games they played to Tennessee. With the losses, the Generals need to win the final three games of the series to avoid their first series loss at home all season long.
Game four of the six-game set is Wednesday night at The Ballpark at Jackson. Righty Bryan Evans is set to debut for the Generals against Tennessee's Michael Wagner (2-1, 3.43). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm CT and you can catch all the action on the TJ Network (AM 1390, FM 94.1) in Jackson and online via the TuneIn Radio App starting at 6:50 pm CT with the Pregame Show!
The Generals take on the Tennessee Smokies in the team's penultimate home series of the regular season! Thursday is a State Farm Agent Wes Harris Dollar Night, with general admission tickets, hot dogs, popcorn, Pepsi products and select beer selling for just $1! Fans can upgrade to reserved seats for $5! The five-game set concludes Friday with a pregame autograph session presented by the Jackson Sun!
Get your tickets to see the playoff-bound Generals as they wrap up the regular season by calling the team at (731) 988.5299, stopping by The Ballpark or going online to jacksongeneralsbaseball.com!