Smokies Stomped in Final Home Game

KODAK - In the Tennessee Smokies (54-80, 21-44) final home game of the season, they kept pace with their home struggles, losing 11-3 to the Birmingham Barons (61-70, 34-28) at Smokies Stadium on Tuesday night. 
Tennessee pitchers encountered issues, issuing ten walks and 11 hits between five arms. Ultimately, starter RHP Erick Leal (L, 3-5) took the loss. For the Barons, LHP Tanner Banks (W, 4-7) earned the win after allowing three runs in five innings. 
For the third straight game, the Smokies got off to the right start plating a run in the first inning via an Eddy Martinez RBI- single. After that, Birmingham took control of the game. 
The Barons scored four in the second inning off a Joel Booker three-run double and Luis González single. Another run got tacked on in the third from Ti'Quan Forbes' RBI-single pushing the Barons' lead to 5-1. The bleeding continued into the fourth when Birmingham scored four more runs. A run scored every inning between the second and seventh for the Barons which built up an 11-3 final.
Tennessee's best scoring opportunity came in a two-run fifth inning. Vimael Machin and Ian Rice knocked runs in, but the Smokies left the bases loaded cutting any major rally short. 
Smokies players can smack the snooze button on Wednesday morning as they enjoy a final day off before heading to Mobile for their final series of the season. RHP Chih-Wei Hu (0-1, 12.00) makes his second Double-A start in game one against Mobile on Thursday.