KODAK - The Tennessee Smokies (51-73, 18-37) had no answer for Jacksonville's (61-63, 31-22) pitching in a 2-0 defeat at Smokies Stadium on Saturday night. Jacksonville's starter LHP Trevor Rogers (W, 1-1) exceeded on both fronts dealing ten strikeouts in seven innings while giving up just two hits. He also
KODAK - The Tennessee Smokies (51-73, 18-37) had no answer for Jacksonville's (61-63, 31-22) pitching in a 2-0 defeat at Smokies Stadium on Saturday night.
Jacksonville's starter LHP Trevor Rogers (W, 1-1) exceeded on both fronts dealing ten strikeouts in seven innings while giving up just two hits. He also recorded his first professional hit and RBI. On a sharply lined a ball to center field, he singled in Bryson Brigman and the game's first run in the fifth. Then in the sixth, Lewin Diaz homered for the second straight game when he rainbowed a ball over the left field wall to double the lead.
RHP Erick Leal (L, 2-4) suffered the loss for the Smokies despite holding the Jumbo Shrimp to two runs in 5.2 innings of production. 2.1 perfect innings from reliever Michael Rucker kept the Smokies within two runs. Rucker extended his season-long scoreless streak to 13.2 innings.
Offensively, the Smokies' bats were dormant and sent the minimum to the plate in five innings. Ian Rice snapped a seven game hitting drought with a single over the head of the second basemen and ended up being one of the three Smokies to file a hit.
The loss dropped the series home losing streak to seven, dating back to the end of May when Tennessee took three of five against Pensacola.
Entering the ninth on the verge of snapping a 16-game on base streak, Cubs No. 1 prospect singled to kick off the last rally attempt. Tennessee threatened when the winning run came to the plate after Vimael Machin drew a walk. Eddy Martinez brought fans to their feet by pushing the runners into scoring position on a ground out, however, Jared Young couldn't repeat his walk-off heroics from Thursday night. He struck out at the hands of RHP Tommy Eveld (S, 9) to end the game.
Tennessee embarks on a cross state road trip to battle the Jackson Generals Sunday 5:30 pm EDT. LHP Jack Patterson (1-0, 3.38) gets his third start as a Smoky against RHP Bo Takahashi (8-6, 3.87) takes the mound for Jackson.
