Smokies take two from Montgomery Monday night

By: Adam Kline

KODAK, Tenn. – The Tennessee Smokies swept the Montgomery Biscuits in both games of a doubleheader Monday night at Smokies Park. The Smokies won by a 3-2 score in the first game after a RBI-double by Taylor Davis gave them a 3-2 lead. The second game was all Smokies, as they put up nine runs in the first three innings and won by a final score of 9-4. The Smokies improved to 29-20 in the second half and 63-55 overall. Montgomery falls to 23-27, 60-60.

Eric Jokisch picked up the rain-suspended game, with the Smokies leading 1-0 in the top of the third inning. The Biscuits took advantage of an error by Arismendy Alcantara to tie the game in the fourth inning and would take the lead in the sixth when Cutis Casali scored on a wild pitch by Jokisch.

Javier Baez launched his 12th home run in the sixth inning, a solo shot, to tie the score up at two apiece. In the seventh inning, Davis hit his first double in Double-A, plating Jonathan Mota who singled earlier in the inning.

Jokisch (10-10) pitched 6.1 innings, giving up four hits, two runs (one earned), walked two and struck out three. Tony Zych pitched 0.2 innings to notch his second save of the season.

In the nightcap, the Smokies jumped out to a commanding 6-0 lead after the first inning. Justin Bour hit a RBI-double to score Rubi Silva who drew a one-out walk. Christian Villanueva hit a three-run home run to score Baez and Bour and three batters later, Mota hit a two-run shot to score Rafael Lopez.

Two innings later, RBI-doubles by Villanueva, John Andreoli and Mota brought in three more runs for the Smokies to extend their lead to 9-0.

Smokies starter Yeiper Castillo ran into trouble through in the fourth inning after he gave up a single and two walks to load the bases with no outs. He then hit a batter before he was lifted for right-hander Jeff Antigua. The Biscuits would get two more runs in the inning before the first out was made.

Antigua (2-0) would limit the damage to just four runs and helped preserve the win for the Smokies. Frank Batista pitched the seventh inning and only allowed a walk.

The Smokies will continue their 10-game homestand with a five-game set with against the Chattanooga Lookouts starting on Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. at Smokies Park. Right-hander Eduardo Figueroa (0-1, 4.91) will start for Tennessee and will be opposed by Lookouts righty Garrett Gould (2-3, 4.26). For tickets or more information, please visit www.smokiesbaseball.com or call 865-286-2300.

AUDIO RECAP GAME ONE: SMOKIES 3, Biscuits 2

AUDIO RECAP GAME TWO: SMOKIES 9, Biscuits 4