Hey Smokies Fans!
Since Tennessee clinched the first half North Division championship on June 19, Smokies fans have been waiting for this day to arrive.
Tonight the Smokies will welcome in the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx for the first game of the North Division Championship Series at Smokies Park. This best of five series will determine who represents the North Division in the upcoming Southern League Championship Series.
The Smokies posted the best record in franchise history with 86 wins and 53 losses, in addition to winning the North Division in both halves of the season. The Diamond Jaxx enter this series on a wild card berth, finishing second to Tennessee in the overall standings with a record of 73-66.
Starting tonight for Tennessee is Chris Archer. Archer in the regular season was 8-2 with a 1.80 ERA in 13 starts with the Smokies. Archer will be opposed by West Tenn’s Luis Munoz.
Here are more notes on tonight’s first game of the North Division Championship Series:
Best Record in Franchise History: The Tennessee Smokies finished the regular season with 86 wins and 53 losses, the best record in franchise history. The .619 winning percentage (33 games over five-hundred) tops the 1978 and 1962 clubs, who both were 32 games over five-hundred.
Hello Diamond Jaxx: Tennessee is 11-8 against West Tenn this season, and 7-3 against the Jaxx at Smokies Park. Last season Tennessee faced Huntsville in the North Division Championship Series. The Smokies won the series in four games, clinching the series in Game Four at Smokies Park.
Cubs Affiliation Leads to Playoffs: This is the third year the Smokies have made the playoffs in four seasons as the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Tennessee advanced to the postseason in 2007 (losing to Huntsville in the NDCS), 2009 (losing to Jacksonville in the SLCS) and in 2010.
Second Half North Division Champions: The Tennessee Smokies clinched the second half North Division championship on Sunday August 29. Huntsville’s loss to Mobile in the first game of a doubleheader clinched the title for the Smokies, marking the second North Division title for the Smokies in 2010. Tennessee went wire-to-wire in the first half to win the North Division with a 42-27 record. This division title is the third straight half the Smokies have claimed the North Division championship, as Hall of Famer and manager Ryne Sandberg’s 2009 Smokies club took the second half title.
Tonight’s coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. with the Pilot Oscar-Mayer Pregame Show. You can listen to the game Here online on smokiesbaseball.com.
We will be on The Sports Animal, WNML AM-990, FM 99.1, FM 99.3 for tonight’s game. From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., we will be on AM 990 only, but all signals after 8 p.m.
Thanks for listening!
