Chalmers Tosses Five Scoreless Innings, Earns First Victory

MADISON, AL - The Tennessee Smokies (29-38) defeated the Rocket City Trash Pandas (34-35), 8-3, Saturday night at Toyota Field. After a one hour and nine minute rain delay at the start, RHP Dakota Chalmers (W, 1-1) came out and allowed just one hit over five scoreless innings for his first win with the Smokies.

Brennen Davis got the scoring started with a solo home run down the left field line with two outs in the top of the third inning. Davis’ home run was his third of the series and ninth of the season.

Chalmers stranded a two out double and struck out the side in the first inning. He did not allow a hit after the first. Chalmers finished the night with five strikeouts and worked around one hit and three walks in five scoreless innings.

The Smokies sent eight to the plate and scored four times in the seventh inning. With the bases loaded, Chase Strumpf drew a walk that forced in a run and extended the Smokies lead to 2-0. Carlos Sepulveda followed with a bases-clearing, three-run double to give the Smokies a 5-0 lead.

LHP Brendon Little entered the game in the sixth inning in relief of Chalmers. After not allowing a run through the first 2.1 innings, Brendon Davis hit a solo home run off Little to get Rocket City on the board. Little finished the night with two strikeouts in three innings, he allowed just the one hit.

The Smokies added three, two out runs in the ninth to extend their lead to 8-1. Cam Balego hit a two-run triple and scored on Tim Susnara’s RBI single in the inning. In the bottom half of the ninth, Izzy Wilson hit a two-run home run off RHP Ethan Roberts to round out the scoring.

Every Smokies starter reached base in the win. Sepulveda and Balego both finished 2-for-5 with a run. Sepulveda doubled twice and drove in three runs, Balego tripled and drove in two. Susnara was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Davis, Jared Young, and Strumpf all walked twice. Davis homered and scored twice, while Young tripled and scored twice.

The Smokies and Trash Pandas will conclude their series at Toyota Field on Sunday night. First pitch between RHP Javier Assad (2-5, 5.07) and RHP Cooper Criswell (6-4, 3.71) is scheduled for 7:35 PM ET. Fans can hear all Smokies games by going to https://www.milb.com/tennessee/fans/audio-listen-live.

The Smokies return home on Tuesday July 27 to begin a six game series with the Chattanooga Lookouts. Tuesday night at Smokies Stadium is Taco Tuesday. Tickets are available and can be purchased online, over the phone, or by visiting the box office.

ABOUT THE TENNESSEE SMOKIES

The Tennessee Smokies are the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Members of the eight-team Double-A South League, Smokies baseball has been entertaining families and fans of America’s national pastime in the East Tennessee region for over 100 years. To learn more about the Tennessee Smokies, visit www.smokiesbaseball.com.