KODAK - The Tennessee Smokies (50-71, 17-35) fell 4-2 to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (59-61, 30-20) at Smokies Stadium on Wednesday night. Fans enjoyed free beer until the Jumbo Shrimp scored their first run which came sooner rather than later. In the top of the second, LHP Luis Lugo gave up
KODAK - The Tennessee Smokies (50-71, 17-35) fell 4-2 to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (59-61, 30-20) at Smokies Stadium on Wednesday night.
Fans enjoyed free beer until the Jumbo Shrimp scored their first run which came sooner rather than later. In the top of the second, LHP Luis Lugo gave up a single and then a two run blast from Stone Garrett, putting the Jumbo Shrimp up early and cutting the free beer party short.
The Smokies have struggled launching the deep ball this season; however in the fourth, Vimael Machin knocked his fifth homer of the season on a fly ball over the right field wall to cut the deficit to one run.
Lugo exited the game after tossing 5.2 innings giving up just the two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts. In the sixth, Christian Donahue tied the game up with a single that brought Nico Hoerner home.
All of Jacksonville's runs came on home runs, and the second homer came in the seventh. Before the trade deadline, the Miami Marlins organization acquired Jazz Chisholm from the Arizona Diamondbacks, which sent Chisholm from one Southern League team, the Jackson Generals, to another. Since joining the Jumbo Shrimp, he has been slugging .553 and he added to it with a two run blast that proved to be the difference. Chisholm now has six home runs in 2019 at Smokies stadium, more than any Smoky at home.
Pitching wise, Smokies RHP Jake Stinnett (L, 1-5) took the loss after giving up the go-ahead home run in the seventh. For Jacksonville, RHP Alejandro Mateo (W, 1-0) earned the win while RHP Tommy Eveld (S, 7) tossed a perfect ninth to secure the contest.
Bright spots for the Smokies included a 2-for-4 night with a double performance from the Chicago Cubs top prospect Nico Hoerner. Working out of the pen, RHP Oscar De La Cruz did his job to keep his side in it by tossing two scoreless frames.
RHP Cory Abbott (6-8, 3.56) goes for Tennessee against Jacksonville's top prospect RHP Sixto Sanchez (8-4, 2.61) at 7 pm EDT Thursday night from Smokies Stadium. Beers and Pepsi products are available to fans for just $1 during Thirsty Thursdays presented by Coors Light.
