Smokies Shut-out Barons to Clinch Opening Week Series Win

KODAK, Tenn. - The Tennessee Smokies (2-1) one-hit the Birmingham Barons (1-2), in a 6-0 win on Saturday night, at Smokies Stadium.

Smokies starting pitcher, Ben Brown, struck out the side to begin the game. In the bottom of the first, Miguel Amaya hit his first home run of the season on a solo shot to left field, to give Tennessee a 1-0 lead. The game remained 1-0, through the first four innings.

In four innings pitched, Brown allowed no hits, no runs, walked four and struck out six batters. In the top of the fifth, Smokies reliever Hunter Bigge (W, 1-0) made his season debut and retired the Barons down in order. In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Tennessee scored four runs on a pair of extra base hits. BJ Murray tripled home a pair of runs and Chase Strumpf hit a two-run home run, his first of the season. Bigge kept the Smokies’ no-hit bid alive, after retiring the Barons in the top of the sixth. Bigge finished with two innings pitched, allowed no hits, no runs, walked one, struck out a batter and recorded the win.

The Smokies added an insurance run on a Pete Crow-Armstrong RBI triple, in the bottom of the sixth, to give Tennessee a 6-0 lead. Birmingham broke up Tennessee’s no-hit bid on a Yoelqui Cespedes single in the top of the seventh, but that was the Barons' lone hit of the night.

Smokies’ reliever Jake Reindl threw two perfect innings, along with three strikeouts, to close out the game, securing a 6-0 Smokies win.

The Smokies will begin a six-game series in Montgomery against the Biscuits, next Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 7:35 p.m. ET. Fans can listen to the action on 99.1 The Sports Animal or by visiting https://www.milb.com/tennessee/fans/audio-listen-live.