KODAK - After ten innings and six combined errors, the Tennessee Smokies (49-70, 16-34) lost 11-7 to the Biloxi Shuckers (72-47, 31-18) at Smokies Stadium on Sunday night. The loss brought the Smokies home losing streak to 12 games. Down 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Jhonny Pereda and Christian
KODAK - After ten innings and six combined errors, the Tennessee Smokies (49-70, 16-34) lost 11-7 to the Biloxi Shuckers (72-47, 31-18) at Smokies Stadium on Sunday night. The loss brought the Smokies home losing streak to 12 games.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Jhonny Pereda and Christian Donahue both got on base with a hit. Shuckers RHP Dylan File gifted the tying run off a wild pitch sending Pereda across home plate.
Smokies starter RHP Erick Leal hurled a solid outing giving up one unearned run over five innings with seven strikeouts. Leading the Smokies in RBIs this month, Jared Young added another to his total with a sacrifice fly scoring Nico Hoerner and sliding the lead in favor of Tennessee.
One of the six combined errors came in the top of the sixth aiding the Shuckers this time. With the bases loaded, Pereda let RHP Tommy Nance's pitch slip by him on a passed ball, tying the game after Ryan Aguilar scored. Two pitches later, Segovia smacked in his fifth RBI of the series on a line drive to right field. Biloxi wrapped up the sixth scoring four runs putting them back in the lead 5-2.
Once again, Tennessee complied a response for the Shuckers offense. Charcer Burks ignited the rally with an RBI-double, and Connor Myers piggybacked that with a sacrifice fly to score Burks and bring the Smokies within a run.
In a game that ended three lengthy scoreless streaks from ten total pitchers, Smokies RHP Bailey Clark and his 12.1 inning streak was no exception. Eight straight balls opened up Clark's entrance to the game and, after striking out the third batter, he walked the next to load the bases. A wild pitch this time hurting the Smokies added an insurance run for Biloxi running the score to 6-4.
The rough night for catchers on both sides continued into the bottom of the eighth. Ace Biloxi closer RHP Nate Griep (W, 6-1) had blown just three saves in 19 opportunities entering the series, but he blew his second of the series off a wild pitch and throwing error on his catcher Alex Alvarez which scored two runs and tied the game setting up extra innings.
Ultimately, five runs poured over in the tenth off Smokies LHP Jordan Minch (L, 5-4) for Biloxi to win the sloppy, marathon of a game. Tennessee added a run in the bottom of the tenth off a Hoerner RBI groundout to plate the final run of the game.
Smokies' players have a day off before the back half of their 10-game home stand featuring five games with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. LHP Jack Patterson (0-0, 7.40) gets his second Double-A start with first pitch coming at 7:00 pm EDT.
