SMOKIES REBOUND FROM DEFICIT TO WIN MONDAY
The Smokies momentum from a Game 2 win on Sunday mirrored that of the cold weather. While Tony Campana did score on a Ty Wright groundout off Barons starter Jhonny Nunez (0-2) to give the Smokies an early 1-0 lead, Birmingham countered with four in the third, on the strength of a Lee Cruz three-run home run off Tennessee starter Marco Carrillo to go up 4-1.
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – A five-run sixth inning Monday night for the Tennessee Smokies pulled them out of an early hole and towards a 9-5 win over the Birmingham Barons on a chilly night at Smokies Park. With the win, the Smokies improved to 15-3 on the year, while the Barons fell to 3-14.
Tennessee cut Birmingham’s lead to 4-2 in the fifth on Ryan Flaherty’s RBI single, then broke the game wide open with a five-run sixth to take a 7-4 lead. Tony Thomas’ two-run liner to center, along with two walks and a hit batter by Barons reliever Andrew Dobies, did most of the damage in the frame.
Reliever David Cales (4-0) came on in middle relief for the Smokies, picking up his Southern League-leading fourth win with three scoreless innings of work. Teammates Ryan Buchter and Alex Maestri (first save)closed out the Barons over the final three innings to preserve the victory.
Flaherty and Thomas led the Smokies with three hits and three RBIs apiece in the win. Ty Wright added two more RBIs to put him back atop the Southern League RBI race at 22. Tony Campana’s two hits and stolen base put him in a tie for the Southern League lead in both categories.