Friday, August 22, 2008
For Immediate Release |
Contact: Jim Tocco
(334)
323-0363 |
Smokies blank hapless Biscuits, 1-0
Montgomery drops series, 4-1
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MONTGOMERY
- The Tennessee Smokies (31-29; 58-72) shutout the Montgomery Biscuits (32-27; 66-63), 1-0, in the finale of a five game series Friday night at Riverwalk Stadium.
Mike Prochaska had one of his best outings as a Biscuit, lasting a season high eight innings and allowing just one run on seven hits, while striking out three and walking none, but the one run would be enough to lift the Smokies to victory.
As good as Prochaska was, the Biscuits offense struggled equally as much to give the left hander any support.
Smokies starter Mark Holliman (5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K) kept Montgomery in check, allowing just two runners to reach scoring position before exiting in the sixth inning. The combination of relievers Ed Campusano, Matt Avery and closer Jose Ceda, picked up right where Holliman left off, blanking the Biscuits over the remainder of the ballgame.
Tennessee plated the only run of the ballgame after loading the bases on back-to-back-to-back singles in the fourth inning. Matt Matulia provided a sacrifice fly with one out, that ended up being the game winner. They would threaten to add some insurance in the ninth, but Neal Frontz managed to escape a bases loaded no-outs jam, without allowing a run.
The Biscuits best scoring opportunity came in the eighth frame. An error and two walks loaded the bases for Montgomery's top run producer, Gaby Martinez, but the threat ended quickly with a 4-6-3 double play, stifling the offense once again.
After inducing the inning ending twin kill, Ceda picked up his team leading ninth save, striking out the side in order in the ninth to end the game.
With the Biscuits losing to Tennessee and Mississippi defeating Carolina, Montgomery heads to West Tenn for five games, trailing the Braves by 3.5 games, with just ten left to play in the regular season. Jason Cromer gets the call in game one, scheduled for 7:05 Saturday night at Pringles Park in Jackson, Tenn.
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