Smokies Series Recap: Knoxville Smokies vs Birmingham BaronsChicago rivalry ignites second half Southern League North title chase

Written by James Schmelzer

KNOXVILLE, TN — The Knoxville Smokies opened up the second half of the season at Covenant Health Park with a back-and-forth series against fellow Southern League North opponent, the Birmingham Barons. After falling just short of a playoff berth in the first half of the season, the Smokies looked to start off the second half of the season hot, and they did just that.

Game 1: Armstrong’s Masterpiece

Knoxville opened the series with a dominant pitching performance, shutting out the Barons thanks to a standout performance by starter Sam Armstrong who tossed six shutout innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three batters.

It was once again another clutch night for Pedro Ramirez, who powered the offense, going 3-for-4 with a solo homer in the 4th and an RBI single in the 8th. The Smokies’ bullpen continued the trend, with Chris Clarke pitching two perfect innings in relief, and Mitchell Tyranski working around some trouble in the 9th to earn the save.

The Barons threatened late, putting runners on second and third with no outs, but failed to score as Knoxville’s staff combined for a two-hitter and a strong start to begin the second half of the season. The Smokies won 2-0.

Game 2: Singles Symphony

Birmingham evened the series with a relentless attack built entirely on singles—16 of them, to be exact. No team in the Southern League has ever had 16 hits in a game where each hit resulted in a single.

Knoxville starter Nick Dean gave up five runs, all earned, in just five and a third innings of work.

Birmingham was able to use a four-run 6th inning to take control, despite early home run power from Pedro Ramirez and late RBI hits from Corey Joyce, Parker Chavers, and BJ Murray Jr. The Smokies couldn’t erase the gap after that, as they fell flat to the Barons bullpen. Mario Camilletti led the way with a 4-for-5 night, plating three RBIs. The Barons offense led the 8-6 win.

Game 3: First Inning Fury

The Smokies’ bats were hot in Game 3, scoring five runs in the first inning alone. They were fueled by big performances from the heart of their order, including BJ Murray Jr who blasted a three-run homer. Felix Stevens also drove in three with a double and a sac fly, and Jordan Nwogu went 3-for-3 with a stolen base.

Starter Antonio Santos kept the Barons in check, allowing just two runs over four innings. From there, Knoxville’s bullpen stepped up big by allowing just one earned run on three hits across the remaining five frames. The Smokies built an early lead with nine runs across the first four innings and never looked back, reclaiming the series lead against the Barons with a 9-3 victory, holding the top spot in the Southern League North.

Game 4: The Rain-Man Predicts Rain Again

After getting held to just six hits the night before, the Barons came out swinging with twelve hits on a soggy night at Covenant Health Park.

Game four was a wild ride for the fans who braved the weather. First, a rain delay right out of the gate, then another grueling hour-long wait smack dab in the middle of the 6th inning. The Smokies clubhouse has begun to wonder if Knoxville starter Grant Kipp is to blame. He has been nicknamed "The Rain-Man” by teammates, and for good reason. This marks now his fourth start this season that has been hit with a weather delay. At this point, you've got to wonder if the baseball gods have it out for the guy.

Once play resumed, The Barons were able to capture momentum by jumping out to a 4–0 lead by the time both teams reached the bottom of the 8th inning.

Shane Murphy was dominant, pitching five shutout innings. However, Knoxville roared back against the Barons bullpen with a five-run 8th inning, consisting of five walks and highlighted by a clutch RBI hit from Pablo Aliendo, momentarily grabbing a 5–4 lead.

In the 9th, Wilfred Veras tied the game and Caden Connor’s sac fly allowed Birmingham to reclaim the lead, 6-5. The Smokies bats were inactive in the bottom of the inning, as Dalton Roach closed the door for the save and evened the series up at two games apiece.

Game 5: Defensive Meltdown

The Barons struck first on Saturday night, with Ryan Galanie driving in a run on a sacrifice fly in the third inning. But that would be the lone highlight for Birmingham, who struggled to find any rhythm at the plate. The Barons went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position, left seven men on base, and racked up 10 strikeouts.

Left-hander Hagen Smith looked strong in his return from the injured list, tossing 1⅔ scoreless innings with three strikeouts to set the tone on the mound. Reliever Tommy Vail couldn’t hold the early lead, surrendering three runs in the third and another in the fifth, while a wild pickoff throw added to Birmingham’s defensive woes. On the other side, the Smokies made the most of their chances.

After falling behind early, Knoxville answered with a four-run third inning fueled by a combination of aggressive base running and Barons miscues. They tacked on one more in the fifth to extend the lead to 5-1. In the end, it was all Smokies, with a convincing win over the Barons to give them a 3-2 series lead.

Game 6: Mound Masters’ Finale

Birmingham’s pitching was the story of the day, with Tanner McDougal leading the charge. He delivered five scoreless innings, allowing just five hits and striking out eight.

The bullpen trio of Jared Kelley, Tyler Davis, and Zach Franklin closed out the game, with Franklin earning his fifth save of the season. Offensively, the Barons got their runs in the fourth inning when Caden Connor doubled, scoring Ryan Galanie and DJ Gladney, to give the Barons a 2–0 lead.

The Smokies fought back late, scoring a run in the bottom of the ninth after a Casey Opitz single scored Reivaj Garcia. Despite the late surge, pinch-hitter Felix Stevens struck out to end the game, resulting in a tight 2-1 victory for the Barons to even out the series.

The Bigger Picture

While the Cubs-White Sox rivalry is heavily heated in Chicago, its intensity burns just as bright in Tennessee, where every pitch carries playoff implications for their minor league affiliates.

By splitting the series, both the Barons and the Smokies sit atop the Southern League North standings, perfectly positioning themselves for a tightly contested second-half race that promises to be every bit as entertaining.

While this rivalry series may have ended in a draw, it provided a preview of the high stakes that awaits both organizations as they chase a spot in the Southern League playoffs.

Next Up

The Smokies embark on a three-game road trip to face the Rocket City Trash Pandas before returning home to Covenant Health Park on Friday. For more information on the Knoxville Smokies—including game highlights, upcoming promotions, ticket info, and the latest news—visit smokiesbaseball.com or follow @Smokiesbaseball on IG, X, Facebook, and TikTok!

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