RICE POWERS SMOKIES TO VICTORY WITH THREE-RUN HOMER

Smokies stay within two games of Jackson with win over Jacksonville

May 6, 2017

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; font: 10.0px Arial}p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; font: 10.0px Arial; min-height: 11.0px}p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; font: 14.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 16.0px}span.s1 {font: 9.0px Arial}span.s2 {font: 14.0px 'Times New Roman'}span.s3 {font: 10.0px 'Times New Roman'}SEVIERVILLE,

SEVIERVILLE, TENNESSEE - The Smokies offense was clicking in the fourth and fifth innings as they struck for seven runs, thanks to some timely hitting and some defensive miscues from Jacksonville in Tennessee's 7-4 victory.
Duane Underwood Jr. took the mound for Tennessee and was strong through the first few frames. He retired the first seven batters he faced, but would get into trouble in the fifth as Austin Nola would drive in a run on an Ian Rice fielding error. Back-to-back singles by the Jumbo Shrimp and a Jeremias Pineda hit by pitch would score the second run for Jacksonville. Underwood would give up two more in the sixth before getting pulled. He wound up giving up four runs, two earned on four hits in five innings of work.
Meanwhile, the offense for Tennessee went to work for Underwood, as Yasiel Balaguert started the scoring in the fourth with a single to left that would score Charcer Burks. Ian Rice would drive in three more later that inning with a homer to left. The Smokies would add two more off a Jason Vosler walk and Kyle Lobstein wild pitch. Carlos Penalver would drive in the seventh run of the night on a sacrifice fly that scored Balaguert.
Brad Markey entered in the sixth and would pitch shut the door on the Jumbo Shrimp, as he allowed only one run with two strikeouts to secure the Smokies win in the third game of the series.
Tonight's second game of the scheduled doubleheader with the Jumbo Shrimp was postponed due to today's inclement weather and the late start of the first game. The game will be made up tomorrow afternoon as part of a doubleheader with the Jumbo Shrimp starting at 1:30 p.m. Both games will be seven inning contests with gates opening at 11:30 a.m. The youth clinic, presented by Rocky Top Customz, will begin at noon.
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