Tonight’s lineups featuring Mobile third baseman Matt Davidson and Tennessee’s Junior Lake and Jae-Hoon Ha.
By Roger Hoover / Smokies Radio Network
The Tennessee Smokies and Mobile BayBears will square off in Monday’s fourth game of the series at Smokies Park.
The Smokies have won two of the first three games against the BayBears, and can clinch a series win with a victory tonight.
Yesterday the Smokies won 4-3 thanks to Jae-Hoon Ha’s triple in the bottom of the ninth that broke a 3-3 tie. Trey McNutt tossed two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win.
Tonight Tennessee will send right-hander Dae-Eun Rhee to the mound. Rhee this season is 8-8 with a 5.07 ERA for the Smokies. Starting for Mobile is right-hander Michael Bolsinger, who is 4-2 with a 3.76 ERA in 2012 for the BayBears.
Here are more notes on tonight’s game, direct from the official Tennessee Smokies game notes compiled by Cody Chrusicel:
SETTING THE SCENE
The Smokies and BayBears meet for game four of a five- game series tonight at Smokies Park. The Smokies have won two of the first three contests and a win tonight would give them their fourth straight series victory. This series marks the first time the BayBears have visited Smokies Park since they clinched the 2011 Southern League title last September 18. Mobile defeated Tennessee, three games to one in last year’s championship series. With seven games remaining in the regular season, the Smokies enter Monday in third place in the North Division, five games back of Chattanooga. The BayBears won the first half in the South Division to secure a playoff spot. However, Mobile (27-36) has the worst record in the league in the second half. The only team in the SL with a better home record than the Smokies (39-29) is Jackson (41-24). In their only other series this season, the Smokies dropped four of five games at Mobile, May 22-26.
LAST TIME OUT
Jae-Hoon Ha’s RBI triple in the bottom of the eighth broke a 3-3 tie and lifted the Smokies to a 4-3 win over Mobile on Sunday evening at Smokies Park. Ha finished 3-for-4 with a double and a triple. Smokies starter Eric Jokisch surrendered three runs over seven innings. Trey McNutt (9-8) worked two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win.The Smokies opened the scoring with a pair of second- inning runs. Mobile strung together four straight two- out hits in the third to plate three runs and take the lead before Tennessee tied it in the sixth.
BUMP IN THE ROAD
After converting 23 of his first 24 save chances, Smokies closer Frank Batista has blown two of his last three.
Each of those blown saves occurred thanks to a leadoff home run – Chattanooga’s Nick Buss on August 21 and Mobile’s Brent Clevlen on August 25. In each of his last four save chances, Batista has had just a one-run lead to work with. PriortoBatista’s blown save on August 21, the Smokies were 50-0 when leading after eight innings.
HA HEATING UP
Jae-Hoon Ha has recorded multiple hits in five of his last seven games. In three games this series against Mobile, Ha is 8-for-14 with four extra-base hits. Since July 1, Ha is batting .313. He his hitting 134 points higher against southpaws (.375) than against right-handers (.241).
Fans can listen to the game on the Smokies Radio Network, with the “Voice of the Smokies” Mick Gillispie entering his sixth season as Tennessee’s Director of Broadcasting. The 2010 Southern League Broadcaster of the Year is assisted by Cody Chrusciel, Roger Hoover, Jonathan Guess, and Adam King. Chrusciel and Hoover will host the Pilot Oscar-Mayer Pregame Show beginning at 7 p.m. on the Smokies Radio Network.
Tonight’s broadcast will air on the Smokies Radio Network’s flagship station The Sports Animal WNML AM 990, FM 99.1 and 99.3 plus the Smokies mobile app. Click the link below to listen live online.
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