MOBILE, Ala. – The Tennessee Smokies began a crucial road series against the Mobile BayBears with a 13-5 victory thanks to a season-high six home runs, including two by Brandon Guyer, on Wednesday night at Hank Aaron Stadium.
The win keeps Tennessee in the lead of the Southern League’s North Division with only four games left in the first half of the season. Tennessee is now two games up on the Diamond Jaxx for the first half playoff spot. The Diamond Jaxx swept a double-header against Chattanooga to get the lead down to two games. The “magic number” is now at three for Tennessee to win the North Division first-half crown.
The BayBears took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a Konrad Schmidt RBI single. Mobile nearly added another run in the frame when Taylor Harbin flied out to left field. Collin Cowgill tagged from third, but he was out at home plate to end the inning in a double play. Mobile did add a run in the bottom of the second to take a 2-0 lead on the Smokies.
Tennessee answered in the top of the third with a three-run homer hit by Russ Canzler. Canzler’s blast gave the Smokies a 3-2 lead, and was Canzler’s seventh home run in 2010.
The Smokies added a run in the fourth on a Ty Wright groundout that scored Brandon Guyer to extend the lead to 4-2. The insurance run was needed, as Mobile scored a run in the bottom of the inning to cut the score to 4-3.
Tennessee used the long ball to extend the lead more. Guyer hit a solo shot to center field in the sixth inning to give the Smokies a two-run lead. An inning later, Josh Vitters smashed a two-run homer to give Tennessee a 7-3 advantage.
Smokies starter Alberto Cabrera went four innings and two-thirds in his seventh start with Tennessee. He gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits along with four walks and two strikeouts. Mobile starter Pat McAnaney took the loss for the BayBears.
Oswaldo Martinez made his Tennessee debut in the bottom of the fifth when he struck out Jacob Elmore with the bases loaded to end the inning. With the strikeout, he earned his first win in a Smokies uniform.
After Mobile scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, Marwin Gonzalez responded by hitting a pinch-hit solo home run to lead off the top of the eighth to put the score at 8-4 Smokies.
Mobile added another run in the bottom of the eighth, as a run scored on a double play ball hit by Cowgill. Tennessee reliever David Cales struck out the final batter of the inning to escape the jam.
The Smokies added plenty of insurance in the top of the ninth. After Vitters added his third run batted in on the night with a single, Tony Thomas hit a three-run bomb to put the game out of reach at 12-5. Guyer once again joined the home run party by hitting his second home run of the night to give Tennessee a 13-5 lead, which would be the final score.
The clubs will play the second game of the series on Thursday night at Hank Aaron Stadium. Austin Bibens-Dirkx (5-2, 3.40 ERA) will pitch for the Smokies against Mobile’s Tom Layne (6-4, 4.75 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m., and fans can listen to the game on the Smokies Radio Network.
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