Generals and Smokies split twin bill on Thursday

KODAK, TENN. (APRIL 17, 2014) - The Jackson Generals (9-6) took the first-of-two games against the Tennessee Smokies (7-8) in their first doubleheader of the 2014 season Thursday at Smokies Park. Jackson won 4-0 in Game 1 and fell 3-2 in Game 2.

RHP Stephen Landazuri (2-1) led the Generals with a nine-strikeout performance that saw him allow just one hit and one walk in six innings of a seven-inning shutout.

Jackson loaded the bases with two-outs in the fourth leading up to an RBI walk by John Hicks (0-2, RBI, BB) that scored Kevin Rivers (0-2, 2 BBs, R). Tennessee starter Corey Black (0-1) hit Jack Marder (0-1, BB, RBI) and Jamal Austin (1-2, RBI, BB) on the next two at-bats, giving the Generals a 3-0 lead.

Jabari Blash (1-3, RBI, R, BB) provided the final blow with his third home run of the season in the fifth. Blash leads the Southern League with 13 RBIs and is second to Tennessee's Dustin Geiger (4) in home runs.

W- Stephen Landazuri: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR, 1.00 ERA
L- Corey Black: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR, 4.09 ERA

In game two, the Generals jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Austin (2-4, R) scored in the first on a sac fly by Blash (0-2, RBI, BB) and Mickey Wiswall (1-4, RBI) doubled to score Marte (3-4, R) in the third.

Marte currently has five multi-hit games this season and leads the Southern League with a .389 batting average.

But the Smokies quickly grabbed momentum as John Andreoli scored on a sac fly by Jae-Hoon Ha in the bottom of the third. Jeudy Valdez added an RBI double in the fourth to score Charles Cutler and tie the game at 2-2.

Taylor Davis connected on an RBI single in the next at-bat to score Jeudy Valdez, giving the Smokies a 3-2 advantage.

Dae-Eun Rhee (1-1) earned his first win after allowing two runs on six hits in four full innings. Hunter Cervenka earned a hold for his two scoreless-inning performance before Armando Rivero (3) recorded the save in the ninth.

W- Hunter Cervenka (1-0): 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR, 0.00 ERA
L- Jordan Shipers (0-1): 2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 0.96 ERA
S- Armando Rivero: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR, 2.45 ERA

The Jackson Generals wrap-up their series with the Tennessee Smokies on Friday at 6:15 pm CT. LHP Cam Hobson (1-1, 3.86 ERA) will face RHP Ivan Pineyro (0-1, 2.00 ERA)

The Generals return to the Ballpark at Jackson on Saturday to kickoff a homestand against the Chattanooga Lookouts. The Ballpark at Jackson will hold a Half-way to Halloween event, Educators Appreciation Night, a Beyond Blame Post-Game Concert and the second fireworks show of the season.

For tickets log on to jacksongeneralsbaseball.com or call 731-988-5299.