Ha and Silva breakthrough in 10-5 win

Jae-Hoon Ha and Rubi Silva connected with their first home runs of the season and combined to drive in four runs as the Smokies set a season high for runs scored after defeating the Barons 10-5 at Regions Field in Birmingham on Monday afternoon.

Dae-Eun Rhee (1-1) started for Tennessee (9-9) and allowed just two runs on four hits over five innings pitched. He walked five, struck out four, but kept the Barons (9-9) from coming back in the game.

Ha was a triple short of the cycle and finished the game 3-for-5 with three runs and one batted in. Silva was 2-for-5 with a run and three runs batted in. His home run came after another leadoff hit by John Andreoli and was hit off Birmingham starter Myles Jaye who lasted just two innings. Jaye (0-2) allowed four runs on four hits over two innings pitched.

Andreoli’s single was his second straight when batting in the leadoff spot to start a game. He singled on the first pitch of Sunday’s victory in Birmingham and also scored a run in the opening frame. Andreoli came in to Monday’s game batting .286 as the Tennessee leadoff man this season.

The Smokies added to their lead with two more runs in the second and three runs in the third. Ha started the second with a double and was then joined on base when both Charlie Cutler and Wes Darvill walked behind him. Jaye struck out Andreoli with the bases loaded, but then hit Stephen Bruno with a pitch and the Smokies scored their third run of the game. Silva followed with a single to right that scored Cutler and put the Smokies up 4-0.

A combination of a force out and groundout led to two Barons’ runs in their half of the second, but Rhee limited the damage to keep the Smokies ahead at 4-2.

In the third the Smokies took advantage of two throwing errors and scored three unearned runs against Birmingham reliever Evan Crawford. Both Crawford and catcher Kevan Smith were charged with errors in the inning and both plays led directly to runs. Crawford missed badly on a throw home and both Ha and Darvill came around to score. Ha reached earlier in the inning on a single to right. Moments later Andreoli stole third and then scored on a errant throw to third by Smith.

Crawford allowed three unearned runs and walked six over two innings of work.

The Smokies led 7-2 after three and went up 8-2 in the fifth when Kris Bryant singled in Bruno with a two-out hit to left.

A home run off reliever David Cales from Ha in the sixth extended the lead to 9-2. It was his first of the season and his third hit of the day.

The final Tennessee run was driven in by Andreoli in the sxith. He tripled to score Cutler who had walked immediately after Ha’s home run to left. Andreoli was 2-for-6 with two runs and a one batted in.

Rhee pitched into the sixth, but left the game after walking two straight to start the inning. Austin Kirk followed him and would get out of the inning without allowing a run. He pitched three full innings and allowed two runs on four hits. Josh Richmond and Ravelo hit back-to-back home runs off Kirk in the eighth.

Tony Zych finished the game for the Smokies. He allowed two hits and one unearned run in his relief appearance.

Nelvin Fuentes and Cody Winiarski also appeared in the loss for the Barons. Fuentes kept the Smokies scoreless over two innings. He also walked two and struck out four. Winiarski pitched the ninth and struck out one.