Smokies Go For Series Win Sunday

The Smokies have notched shutout wins in each of their last two games, and now go for a series clinching win this afternoon at 3:05 p.m. against the Jacksonville Suns at Bragan Field.

Charlie Cutler was the main source of power for the first eight innings Saturday, blasting a two-run homer and adding an RBI ground out. Then in the ninth Kris Bryant would add to the lead with his 20th longball, while a sacrifice fly from Jae-Hoon Ha made it 5-0. Smokies starter Dae-Eun Rhee was masterful, tossing seven scoreless innings while only allowing five hits. With the victory, the Smokies have now won four of their last five contests and will look for their third straight this afternoon.

Tennessee is likely to start RHP Matt Loosen (3-2, 5.01), who is coming off his best outing of 2014 against Birmingham on June 3, firing six scoreless innings while only allowing four hits in his first win since May 1.

The Suns are expected to counter with LHP Justin Nicolino (5-2, 3.23). Nicolino has been strong in his last three outings, yielding a total of just four earned runs in 21.0 innings, earning victories in each of those starts.

Fans can listen to the broadcast on the Smokies Baseball Network, with the "Voice of the Smokies" Mick Gillispie. Gillispie is assisted by Greg Young, Keith Brake, Meagan Wood, Sean Sullivan, Boomer Dangel, Andrew Clare and James Rowe. The Pilot/Oscar Meyer Pre-game Show will begin at 2:50 p.m. ET.

Below are more notes on Tennessee's contest this afternoon, direct from the club's Game Notes, compiling by Director of Media Relations Andrew Green. The entire game notes can be viewed by clicking here.

BRYANT HAVING A BLAST: INF Kris Bryant's 20 homers tie him for seventh with former INF Javier Baez for most homers hit by a Smokies player since 2000...The next longball would tie him for fifth...Bryant continues to pace the league in ten different categories, in addition to top four in another...This year the 22-year-old paces the circuit in batting average, homers, RBI, runs, hits, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, extra-base hits and total bases, and also tied for fourth in doubles (14)...Bryant among all Minor Leaguers is also first in total bases, tied for first in extra-base hits, second in slugging and OPS (1.162), third in homers, just one behind High-A Myrtle Beach's Joey Gallo and Double-A Trenton's Peter O'Brien for first, tied for fourth in runs, RBI and on-base percentage, and fifth in batting average.

BLOCKING OUT THE SUNS: The Smokies have recorded shutout wins in back-to-back games for the first time since August 11-12, 2012 when the club blanked the Huntsville Stars in Kodak...The last time Tennessee held a team scoreless in consecutive road games was on July 2-3, 2010 at West Tennessee (now Jackson)...The team has also recorded three shutout wins in three of their seven games this month after tallying just one in their first 55 contests this season...The other shutout came on April 4 at Pensacola in the second game of the year...In total, the Smokies have not allowed a run to the Jacksonville Suns in their last 20 innings.

BRING ON THE LEFTIES: Tennessee enters today owning a 10-3 record when facing a left-handed starting pitcher, including a 5-2 tally on the road...The Smokies beat LHP Chipper Smith earlier in this series on June 6...The club has posted a .253 average (98-387) versus southpaw pitching this year, ten points higher than their .243 clip (408-1681) against right-handers...INF Kris Bryant has accumulated a .436 mark (17-39), adding three doubles, six homers, ten RBI, ten walks, a .551 on-base percentage and .974 slugging percentage facing lefties this year...That's compared to a .335 tally (61-182) when squaring off with right-handers, a 101 point difference.

CHICKS DIG THE LONGBALL: Saturday afternoon marked the tenth time this season the Smokies have recorded two or more homers in a contest after both C Charlie Cutler and INF Kris Bryant left the yard...The club now ranks second in the Southern League behind the Mobile BayBears (49) in roundtrippers after pacing the circuit last season...Bryant's longball on a 2-0 count marked the first time this year a Smokies player has homered in that favored hitter's count...Ten of the team's 48 big flies have been hit with an 0-1 count, the most of any count this year...25 of those home runs have also been solo shots, while 15 have been two-run blasts.

QUALITY IN QUANTITY: The Tennessee rotation has recorded quality starts in three of their last five contests dating back to June 3...In that span, Smokies starters have posted a 3-1 record and 1.67 ERA (5 ER in 27.0 IP)...Starters have also not allowed a run in four of those last five outings...RHP Dae-Eun Rhee leads the club with five quality starts this year, while today's starter Matt Loosen ranks second with three quality starts in 2014.

RIDICULOUS RELIEVERS: Ten of RHP Arodys Vizcaino's 11 relief appearances with the Smokies have been scoreless outings...RHP Armando Rivero leads Southern League relievers in batting average against (.147), strikeouts per nine innings (14.10) and baserunners per nine innings (8.40)...Rivero has also fanned three or more batters in nine of his 22 appearances this season.

Today's broadcast will air on the Smokies' flagship station The Sports Animal 99.1 FM and 990 AM, plus online at www.smokiesbaseball.com, as well as via the Smokies' mobile app. Click the link below to listen live online.

Listen to the Smokies and Suns, June 8, 2014.