SMOKIES PITCHING CONTINUES TO DOMINATE BARONS HITTERS

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Tennessee pitching continues to feast on the mound against Birmingham after another fantastic effort in a 2-1 win. 
Tennessee had shut out Birmingham in three straight matchups in the month of April, and while Birmingham did put a run on the scoreboard today, it didn't go down as an earned run in the box score. Jen-Ho Tseng (4-1) pitched six innings of four hit, one run basebal and picked up win number four of the season. His only run wasn't earned as Jake Peter scored on Tseng's throwing error.
His offense didn't give him much wiggle room, but with the way Tseng was dealing, he only needed a couple of runs. Jeffrey Baez got the rare start at the top of the order and began the game with a walk. After stealing second base the Smokies played small ball, as Andrew Ely laid down a sacrafice bunt to advance Baez to third. David Bote would bring home Baez on a fielding error by the shortstop Cleuluis Rondon. 
Yasiel Balaguert would add to the scoring in the top half of the fifth, hitting an infield single to Cleuluis Rondon, who would add another throwing error to his cause, scoring Andrew Ely from second base. Brad Markey would team up with Andury Acevedo for three innings of shutout baseball, allowing the Smokies to hold on in a 2-1 pitchers battle. Andury Acevedo would pick up his third save after an inning of shutout baseball, making his stat line 10 innings of shutout baseball this season.
The Smokies are coming off their first series loss in over a month. It had been since the opening home series of the season since they had lost. Tennessee entered the game having lost four of five against Montgomery.
Tennessee has now won their first five of six against last place Birmingham this season, but will have to go up against big time pitching prospect Michael Kopech in Friday nights 8:05 CT contest. The Smokies will counter by sending their top prospect Trevor Clifton to the mound.
ABOUT THE TENNESSEE SMOKIES
The Tennessee Smokies are the Double-A affiliate of the World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Members of the ten-team Southern 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