Smokies fall to Biscuits Sunday afternoon, 13-3

KODAK, Tenn. - Seeking their fifth win in a row Sunday afternoon, the Tennessee Smokies were unable to keep pace both on the mound and at the plate with the Montgomery Biscuits, suffering their first home loss of the season, 13-3. The loss, in front of 3,098 on "Family FUNday," puts the Smokies at 7-3 on the season.

Smokies starter Brooks Raley settled in quickly striking out four through the first two innings, but the Biscuits would get to him in the third. After a walk to Kyeong Kang, Biscuits' shortstop Tim Beckham hit a homerun giving the Biscuits the early lead, 2-0.

A costly error by Josh Vitters would aid the Biscuits to four more runs (all unearned) in the fifth inning. Following the fielding error, a RBI base hit by Stephen Vogt and a three-run homerun by Matt Sweeney, extended the Biscuits lead, 6-0

The Smokies narrowed the Biscuits' lead to 6-2 in the fifth, when Ty Wright doubled, and scored on a Jim Adduci single, then Marwin Gonzalez doubled scoring Adduci.

The Smokies would tack on another run in the sixth on four consecutive singles by Vitters, Steve Clevenger, Matt Spencer and Adduci, trimming the lead to 6-3.

Things really unraveled for Tennessee over the last three frames, as Montgomery scorched the Smokies' bullpen for seven runs from the seventh inning on. Blake Parker was tagged for three runs over the sixth and seventh innings, but none were earned due to second fielding error by Vitters.

Relievers Luke Sommer and Ty'Relle Harris did not fare much better, allowing a combined five runs over the final 2.1 innings.

Montgomery's Ryan Reid (1-0) picked up the win in relief, allowing only one run on four hits in 1.1 innings of work. Neil Schenk (S, 1) got the save tossing the final three innings and not surrendering a run. Raley (0-2) took the loss, as he allowed six runs (two earned) on seven hits in five innings. He struck out six.

Tennessee will hit the road for a ten-game road trip starting with five-game with the Carolina Mudcats. The team will head to Jacksonville for a rematch of the 2010 Southern League Championship against the Suns. The Smokies will return to Smokies Park on Thursday, April 28th, as the Smokies will host the Carolina Mudcats in a five-game series through May 2. Tickets can be purchased at www.smokiesbaseball.com or by calling (865) 286-2300.