MOREL, SEPULVEDA LEAD THE WAY IN SERIES OPENING WIN
Smokies two-hit the Trash Pandas as Sanders earns first victory
SEVIERVILLE, TN – The Tennessee Smokies (17-30) defeated the Rocket City Trash Pandas (25-23) in game one of the six game series Tuesday night at Smokies Stadium, 4-2. Rocket City took an early 2-0 lead before Smokies’ starter RHP Cam Sanders (W, 1-3) settled into a groove, earning the win with five innings of two-run baseball.
After Sanders retired the first two batters in the first inning, Rocket City mounted a two-out rally as Orlando Martinez walked and David MacKinnon homered to center field to give the Trash Pandas a 2-0 lead. Sanders settled down after the rocky first inning, allowing just two runs and two hits in five innings pitched while striking out four.
The Smokies answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the first inning as Christopher Morel homered to right center field, his team-leading sixth of the year.
The Smokies ran Rocket City starter RHP Boomer Biegalski (L, 2-3) from the game while taking the lead in the fifth inning. Zach Davis hit a one-out single into right field, advanced to second on a balk, and came home on a two-out RBI single from Morel. Morel reached second on the Trash Pandas’ throw home and scored the go-ahead run on Carlos Sepulveda’s RBI single.
The Smokies added an insurance run in the bottom half of the eighth inning as Morel worked a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on Carlos Sepulveda’s RBI double.
Morel finished 2-for-3 and Sepulveda finished 2-for-4, both drove in two runs. LHP Brandon Hughes and RHP Ethan Roberts combined to throw three scoreless in relief. RHP Cayne Ueckert (SV, 2) struck out two in a perfect ninth for his second save.
The Smokies and Trash Pandas continue their series at Smokies Stadium Wednesday night. First pitch between RHP Erich Uelmen (1-5, 5.06) and RHP Chris Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00) is scheduled for 7 PM. Fans can hear all Smokies games by going to https://www.milb.com/tennessee/fans/audio-listen-live.
Wednesday night at Smokies Stadium is All You Can Eat Wednesday presented by M3 Technology. Tickets for the entire Rocket City series are available and can be purchased online, over the phone, or by visiting the box office.
ABOUT THE TENNESSEE SMOKIES
The Tennessee Smokies are the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Members of the eight-team Double-A South League, Smokies baseball has been entertaining families and fans of America’s national pastime in the East Tennessee region for over 100 years. To learn more about the Tennessee Smokies, visit www.smokiesbaseball.com.
