KODAK, Ten. - In what will go down as one of the most memorable games in team history, the Biscuits (47-40) defeated the Tennessee Smokies (45-41) by a score of 1-0 in 16 innings, matching the longest game in club history, thanks to a two-out RBI-single by Andrew Velazquez. Montgomery
KODAK, Ten. - In what will go down as one of the most memorable games in team history, the Biscuits (47-40) defeated the Tennessee Smokies (45-41) by a score of 1-0 in 16 innings, matching the longest game in club history, thanks to a two-out RBI-single by Andrew Velazquez. Montgomery is now 9-2 against Tennessee this season, and holds a game-and-a-half lead over the Smokies in the Wild Card race.
Edwin Fierro made his third-consecutive spot start for the Biscuits and delivered another valiant effort tossing five scoreless innings to keep pace with Tennessee starter Adbert Alzolay, who fanned 10 through five innings in his Double-A debut.
Fierro then handed the reigns to Fernando Baez, who started a run of 9.2 innings in which the Biscuits did not surrender a hit to the Smokies. Baez pitched a scoreless and hitless sixth and seventh, then Jordan Harrison a scoreless and hitless eighth and ninth. Kyle Winkler would do the same in the 10th, and Brad Schreiber and Mike Broadway the same in the 11tth, 12th, 13th, and 14th. Trey Martin's double off Yoel Espinal (1-2) in the 15th finally broke the streak, but the Dominican right-hander was able to get out of the inning unscathed.
José Rosario (0-1), who pitched a scoreless 15th for the Smokies, was back on to begin the 16th and allowed a leadoff single to Mac James to begin the inning. Nick Ciuffo would then hit into a double play, but then Michael Russell walked and Nathan Lukes singled to center. That brought up Velazquez who took a pitch into right field for a single that scored Russell to bring home the game's first run more than four hours into the game.
Ian Gibaut, who became the eighth Biscuit pitcher of the night, had to work through some traffic in the bottom of the 16th, but struck out Jason Vosler to end the game and give the Biscuits an unforgettable series-opening victory over their North Divison rivals, whom Montgomery held to just four hits. The Biscuits only other 16-inning game came back in July 3, 2014 in a 4-3 win also over Tennessee at Smokies Stadium.
The Biscuits are now on a season-high five-game winning streak for the third time this season, and will try to make it six in a row on Monday when José Mujica (8-5) takes on rehabber Kyle Hendricks (NR) at 6:00 PM at Smokies Stadium.
