Smokies Close Season with 5-1 Loss

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Smokies closed the 2014 season with a 5-1 loss at AT&T Field in Chattanooga on Monday afternoon. Dustin Geiger drove in Tennessee’s only run of the game with a bases loaded walk in the seventh.

The Lookouts, picking up where they left off in Sunday’s doubleheader, used the long ball to jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the first. Centerfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker led off the Chattanooga (35-33, 61-77) first with a solo home run off Tennessee (33-37, 66-73) starter Ivan Pineyro to give the Lookouts the lead.

Hazelbaker’s home run came on the first pitch thrown by Pineyro on Monday afternoon. The Lookouts collected three hits in the first, but scored just one run.

Pineyro (0-4, 5.55) stayed in for the first four innings and would allow two more runs in the second. Bobby Coyle started the Chattanooga second with a double to right and scored moments later on a two-run home run from J.C. Boscan.

Chattanooga led 3-0 after three and went up 5-0 after scoring twice in the sixth.

Jeremy Kehrt started for the Lookouts and worked four scoreless innings. He walked one, struck out one and gave up three hits. Juan Gonzalez (4-8, 3.34) pitched the fifth and sixth and gave up just three hits while striking out one. Gonzalez came into the game with the Lookouts leading 3-0 and would earn the win.

Pineyro allowed three earned runs and seven hits (including two home runs) over four innings pitched and took the loss. Zach Cates followed out of the bullpen and pitched a scoreless fifth.

Lefty Andrew McKirahan worked the sixth and would allow two runs and two hits in the inning. He started the frame by walking O’Koyea Dickson and then gave up a single to Corey Seager.

McKirahan eventually got Alex Liddi to ground out, but Dickson scored on the play and the Lookouts extended the lead to 4-0. Coyle followed Liddi with a RBI single to right-center and Seager scored to put Chattanooga up 5-0.

Tennessee finally got on the board in the seventh and scored once with help of a bases loaded walk to Dustin Geiger. Reliever Jarrett Martin walked Geiger who had came in as a pinch hitter in the inning.

The Smokies scored once in the seventh, but would leave the bases loaded. Tennessee’s offense managed to score just three runs over the final three games of the year. They stranded 11 men on base and were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position on Monday.

Martin, who was the third of five pitchers on the day for the Lookouts was in the game for just 2/3 of an inning. Kehrt started the game and pitched through the fourth. Gonzalez allowed three hits over two innings and walked one. Martin walked two, allowed one hit and one unearned run while recording two in the seventh. Blake Smith finished the seventh and also worked a scoreless eighth. Ralston Cash pitched the ninth and faced just three batters while pitching a scoreless inning.

Pineyro started for Tenenssee and was followed by Cates, McKirahan, Tony Zych and Matt Loosen. Cates pitched a scoreless fifth and McKirahan allowed two runs and two hits in the sixth. Zych faced three and struck out two while pitching a scoreless seventh. Loosen finished the game after retiring three and striking out one in a scoreless eighth.