Carhart, Dugan Shine As Smokies Sweep Twinbill

JACKSON, Tenn. - Ben Carhart and Kelly Dugan dominated on Tuesday night, as the duo combined to record 10 hits, homer four times and drive in 10 runs during the twinbill, as the Tennessee Smokies took game one in 10 innings, 4-2, and cruised in the nightcap, 11-5, to sweep the Jackson Generals at The Ballpark at Jackson.

With the doubleheader sweep, the Smokies have now won three in-a-row and improve to 24-33 in the second half and 52-75 overall. Jackson's losses drops them to 35-22 in the season's second leg and 81-46 in total.

With the game one tied at two in the top of the tenth inning, Dugan (2-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI) started the frame with a single to right and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout, Carhart (2-4, R, HR, 2 RBI) delivered the lid-lifter's decisive blow. The 26-year-old pummeled an offering over the wall in left for a two-run shot. The blast - Carhart's third of the year - put the Smokies up, 4-2.

RHP David Berg (2.0 IP, H, 2 SO) - who had already tossed a scoreless ninth - remained in the contest and shut the door to close out the win.

Jackson was down to their final out in the seventh before they tied the game. An eyelash away from a complete game, RHP Jen-Ho Tseng (6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 4 SO) was rocked by pinch-hitter Ryan Casteel (1-2, R, HR, RBI). The right-handed swinger came off the bench to blast a game-tying home run to center to even the contest at two and send the game to extras.

Tennessee initially grabbed a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning courtesy of Dugan. Following a leadoff double by 3B Jason Vosler (1-4, R, 2B, SO), the 25-year-old hammered a two-run homer to right. Dugan's shot was his 11th of the year.

Jackson answered in the sixth, as RF Tyler O'Neill (1-4, R, HR, RBI, BB, SO) cranked a home run to left - his league-leading 23rd of the year - to trim the deficit to 2-1.

Neither starter received a decision in game one. Tseng (6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 4 SO) and RHP Andrew Moore (8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 6 SO) each earned quality starts for the Smokies and Generals, respectively.

Berg (2.0 IP, H, 2 SO) tossed two shutout frames for his second Double-A win, while RHP Ryne Harper (2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 SO) was stuck with his fourth loss of the campaign.

In the nightcap, the Smokies continued to roll, as the team jumped out to an early 6-0 lead.

In the second, DH David Freitas (2-3, 3 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI) doubled to left to leadoff the inning and with one out Carhart (3-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, SO) made his presence felt again. The Florida native blasted another towering shot over the left-field fence for a two-run homer. Carhart's second blast of the twinbill - and fourth of the season - put the Smokies up, 2-0.

Tennessee added four more in the third. RF Lane Adams (2-4, R, 2B) started the frame with a double and moved to third on a groundout. After Freitas reached on catcher's interference, Dugan (3-4, 3 R, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, SO) continued the assault. The California native laced a double into center, scoring both runners - one coming home on an error - to make it a 4-0 lead. The Smokies scratched across two more in the inning on a wild pitch and an error to extend the advantage to six.

Jackson managed to cut the lead to one in the fourth, but that was as close as they would get. In the third, the Generals scored a pair on a RBI single by CF Adam Law (2-3, RBI) and a sacrifice fly by O'Neill (0-2, RBI, 2 SO). Casteel (1-2, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB, SO) crushed a three-run homer to left in the fourth, making it a 6-5 ballgame.

The Smokies managed to score the final five runs of the game to put the contest on ice. Dugan led off the fifth with a home run to left-center - his 12th of the season and second of the day - to put Tennessee back up by two, 7-5. In the sixth, Freitas slashed a two-run double to center, while Dugan and Carhart followed with run-scoring knocks of their own to bring home four tallies and give the Smokies an 11-5 edge.

RHP Juan Paniagua (4.0 IP, 2 SO) was untouchable in relief in the nightcap. The 26-year-old did not allow a single batter to reach base in his four frames of work, as he earned his fifth win of the year. LHP Kyle Hunter (2.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 SO) was tagged for six runs (four earned) in 2.2 innings, suffering his third loss of the campaign for Jackson.

RHP Starling Peralta (3.0+ IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, SO) picked up a no-decision in game two for Tennessee after allowing five runs in three-plus frames.

Tennessee can win the series with the victory tomorrow night, as RHP Michael Wagner (2-1, 3.43 ERA) is scheduled to take the ball for the Smokies. Jackson is projected to go with RHP Bryan Evans (0-0, -.-- ERA) who was signed by the Seattle Mariners to a minor league contract prior to yesterday's series opener.

The Pilot Pre-Game Show will kick off the broadcast at 7:50 p.m. ET, leading up to the 8:05 p.m. ET start from The Ballpark at Jackson. Wednesday night's contest can be heard exclusively on SmokiesBaseball.com or via the TuneIn Radio or MiLB First Pitch apps.

Following the road trip, the Smokies return home on Saturday, August 27, to take on the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, at 7:05 p.m. for the final homestand of the 2016 season. That night's affair will be All That and 90's Night at the ballpark featuring special between-inning contests, music and videoboard graphics. Following the final out, there will be one final postgame fireworks show in partnership with Alzheimer's Tennessee.

The Tennessee Smokies Charity of Choice for the 2016 season is Alzheimer's Tennessee. Alzheimer's Tennessee's mission is to serve those facing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, to promote brain health through education, and to champion global prevention and treatment efforts. For more information on how to join the Tennessee Smokies in helping Alzheimer's Tennessee achieve their mission, please visit http://www.alztennessee.org/smokies/.

Single-game tickets, as well as multi-voucher and season ticket packages are still available, and can be purchased online at smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at 865-286-2300

 

ABOUT THE TENNESSEE SMOKIES

The Tennessee Smokies are the Double-A affiliate of the 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.