Smokies drop back-and-forth affair

MOBILE, AL -  Tennessee fell to the BayBears on Friday night 7-6, on a walk-off single from Mobile's Jack Kruger. The Smokies came back twice in the game but were unable to bring across the winning run. 
Oscar De La Cruz received the start for the Smokies and struggled immediately. De La Cruz gave up a grand slam in the first inning and, while he did manage to settle down, he gave up six runs in his four innings of work. De La Cruz gave up five hits in the outing, walked five and struck out four. 
Down 4-0, the Smokies mounted a comeback in the second inning. Trent Giambrone singled with two outs and scored when Eddy Martinez doubled him home. Martinez scored when the next batter, Jesse Hodges, singled to center field.
The Smokies took the lead in the next inning thanks to their most consistent power bat. Trey Martin walked and Zack Short singled to start the inning before Jason Vosler knocked them both home with a three-run home run to put Tennessee up 5-4. It was Vosler's 12th home run of the season. 
Jordan Minch replaced De La Cruz in the bottom of the fifth and pitched his best outing of the year. Minch threw three innings, allowing no runs on no hits and struck out two. Minch lowered his ERA to 2.70 with the outing. 
The Smokies trailed 6-5 in headed to the sixth inning but would tie the game back up. Tennessee was patient in their at-bats, drawing three walks in the inning including a walk to Short that scored Hodges. 
Ryan McNeil took over for Minch in the eighth inning, and the BayBears loaded the bases. But, McNeil battled and got out of the inning without giving up a run. Craig Brooks came in in the ninth and gave up the winning run. 
The Smokies and BayBears will be back in action on Saturday at 8:05 p.m. ET. The Smokies will send Keegan Thompson to the mound as he will make his first Double-A start of the season. Mobile will counter with Jose Rodriguez.  
Written by Rob Harvey, Broadcast Assistant for the Tennessee Smokies
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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