Eye-Popping Statistics

Any baseball fan would be flabbergasted by the score of last night’s contest against the Generals with the Smokies ending up on the winning end of a 17-13 final count. That’s a normal football score. It was the second highest run total in a game by the Smokies since 2000, with the highest tally the 19 runs plated on August 13, 2008 against the Birmingham Barons, and the third highest combined total in a contest in the same span. Tennessee and Chattanooga combined for 34 runs on August 6, 2008 in a 18-16 Smokies win, while Tennessee fell to the then Orlando Rays by a final score of 19-13 on May 23, 2002.

In total last night between the two teams there were 30 runs, 39 hits, eight doubles, two triples, 29 RBI, 20 walks, and 15 strikeouts.  It was also the highest scoring game in Southern League history where a home run was not hit. Between the two teams there were 408 pitches thrown, 228 of those were strikes. There were fewer pitches thrown in the Smokies’ 13-inning contest against the Huntsville Stars earlier this season on April 26 (379 pitches).

The game just continued a stellar trend at the plate for the Smokies in May, as they have already scored 90 runs in their 11 games this month for an average of 8.2 runs per contest after tallying a total of 97 in 26 April tilts. The club is also just one RBI behind last month’s total, having driven in 86 RBI in May after brininging home 87 in the previous month. As for hits, the Smokies in April collected 184 hits and averaged 7.1 base knocks per game. This month have already have smacked 132, and are averaging 12.0 per game.

If those numbers are not eye openers, take a look at this statistic. In all of professional baseball the Smokies rank first in four offensive categories, topping all teams in hits, runs and on-base percentage (.405), and are also tied for first in baseball with the Colorado Rockies, who play in the thin air atmosphere of Coors Field, in batting average (.326). What makes all these statistics even more incredible is that they are putting together better offensive numbers than many Major League clubs this month.

Smokies third baseman Kris Bryant has paced the offense in this last week with video game type numbers going .464 with four home runs, 14 RBIs, and 12 runs scored earning him Southern League Hitter of the Week honors. Not too far behind is second baseman Stephen Bruno, who has hit .450 (19-40) in his ten May contest, adding 15 runs, ten doubles, two homers and 13 RBI. Catchers Rafael Lopez (.387) and Charlie Cutler (.538), as well as outfielders Rubi Silva (.469) and Jorge Soler (.375) have also enjoyed a strong month at the plate so far.

If the team is able to keep at this pace and continue their hot-hitting ways for the rest of the month, the numbers could truly be staggering when the calendar turns to June, and the Smokies continue to try and cut down their three-game first half deficit to the Huntsville Stars.