Ted Clark
KNOXVILLE, TN - The Knoxville Smokies had a week worthy of champions, this past series The Knoxville Smokies became Southern League North’s first half champion, by taking the series against The Chattanooga Lookouts here at Covenant Health Park. Claiming their fourth straight series win the Smokies have not only punched their ticket to the postseason, but have secured a home series hosting for the playoffs.
Game 1: Lookouts Strike First in The Championship Series
From the opening inning, the Lookouts appeared determined to make a statement during a pivotal week in the Southern League North race. Chattanooga struck for two runs in the first inning on a pair of RBI singles. Ryan McCrystal lined a base hit into left field to bring home the game's first run before Ruben Ibarra followed with an RBI single of his own.
The Lookouts extended their lead in the fifth inning when an error by first baseman Cameron Sisneros allowed Leo Balcazar to score. Chattanooga added its final runs later in the game when former Smokie Pablo Aliendo launched a two-run home run to help put the contest out of reach.
The Smokies attempted to rally in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring three runs. Alex Ramirez started the comeback effort with his eighth home run of the season before Ariel Armas delivered a two-run single that brought home Owen Ayers and Jefferson Rojas.
Chattanooga spared no expense on the mound, utilizing five different pitchers throughout the game. Starter Nick Sando turned in a solid outing, tossing four scoreless innings while allowing just two hits. Steffon Moore followed with one inning of relief before Taylor Floyd entered and worked two-thirds of an inning, allowing all three of Knoxville's earned runs. Ethan Sikorski then stabilized the game for the Lookouts, earning his first win of the season after throwing 2.1 scoreless innings. Johnathan Lavallee handled the ninth inning and recorded the save.
The Smokies relied on their usual three-pitcher approach. Connor Schultz got the start and pitched 4.2 innings, allowing three runs while striking out six. Evan Taylor followed with two innings of relief, surrendering two earned runs while recording five strikeouts. Tyler Ras closed out the game for Knoxville, throwing the final two innings and allowing just two hits while keeping Chattanooga off the scoreboard.
Game 2: New Game, Same Story
The Lookouts stayed hot in Game 2, striking first in the second inning when Cam Collier launched a three-run home run that scored Ruben Ibarra and Ryan McCrystal, giving Chattanooga an early advantage. The Smokies responded in the bottom of the third. Jefferson Rojas delivered an RBI single that scored Hayden Cantrelle and moved Alex Ramirez into scoring position. Andy Garriola then grounded into a double play, but Ramirez crossed the plate on the play, cutting the deficit to one run. Chattanooga answered in the fourth inning on a Julio Carreras sacrifice fly and added another insurance run in the ninth. Despite Knoxville's efforts, the Smokies were unable to overcome the Lookouts' early offensive surge.
The Lookouts employed a much different pitching strategy than they had in Game 1. Starter Johnathan Harmon carried the bulk of the workload, tossing seven strong innings while allowing just two earned runs on four hits. He struck out six and earned the victory. Chattanooga then turned to Bryce Hubbart for a bridge inning. Hubbart struck out two of the four batters he faced while allowing one hit. Former Auburn University pitcher Will Cannon handled the ninth inning, recording the save after throwing a scoreless frame with one strikeout.
The Smokies also took a different approach on the mound. Frankie Scalzo Jr. got the start and worked a scoreless first inning before allowing three earned runs in the second. Right-hander Nick Dean followed and provided valuable length, pitching 3.2 innings while allowing one earned run on five hits. Tyler Santana then delivered three scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out five batters. Luke Little finished the game by pitching the ninth inning, allowing one earned run while striking out two.
Game 3: The Smokeshow Begins
The Smokies entered Game 3 looking to respond after dropping the first two games of the series. The two clubs remained deadlocked through the first three innings before former Smokie Pablo Aliendo broke the scoreless tie with his second home run of the season against his former team.
Knoxville answered immediately in the bottom of the fourth. Jefferson Rojas led off the inning by crushing a home run to deep left-center field. On the very next pitch, Owen Ayers followed suit with a homer of his own. Andy Garriola then capped off the three-run inning by launching a towering shot to deep left field. Later, in the seventh inning, Rojas drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Edgar Alvarez and provided the Smokies with an important insurance run.
The Lookouts once again leaned on starter Javier Rivera, who turned in another solid performance. Rivera worked 6.0 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits while striking out four and walking three. Chattanooga then turned to right-hander Brody Jessee in relief, hoping to keep the game within reach. Instead, Jessee struggled through his lone inning of work, allowing one earned run while walking three batters and striking out one. His wildness proved costly, as he issued a bases-loaded walk to Alvarez that brought home a run. Thomas Farr followed and delivered a clean eighth inning, retiring all three batters he faced.
The Smokies' pitching staff continued its successful formula of using three pitchers to secure a victory. Starter Dawson Netz was dominant, tossing five innings while allowing just one earned run on six hits and striking out seven. Erian Rodriguez followed with three scoreless innings, surrendering only two hits. To close out the win, Knoxville handed the ball to Marino Santy in the ninth. Santy was electric, facing just four batters and recording the final outs himself. He ended the game with a spectacular 1-3 double play, snagging a line drive back through the middle before firing to first base to double off the runner and seal the Smokies' victory.
Game 4: The Smokies are Rolling
The Smokies entered Game 4 needing just two more wins to clinch the Southern League North title and secure a postseason berth. Unlike the first three games of the series, this contest turned into a low-scoring pitchers' duel. Two dominant arms took center stage, with Jose Acuña getting the start for Chattanooga and Jace Beck taking the ball for Knoxville. The game ultimately came down to which pitcher blinked first.
For six innings, neither side could break through. The deadlock was finally broken in the seventh inning when Carter Trice hit a ground ball deep into the hole on the left side, reaching safely while driving in Owen Ayers to give Knoxville a 1-0 lead. Moments later, Ariel Armas lined a ball into right-center field, scoring Alex Ramirez and extending the advantage to 2-0. Those two runs proved to be all the Smokies needed.
Acuña was outstanding for the Lookouts, tossing six scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out eight. Chattanooga then turned to Jonathan Lavallee, making his second appearance of the series. In the seventh inning, Lavallee allowed a two-out rally that accounted for both Knoxville runs. He finished with a line of 2.0 innings pitched, four hits allowed, two earned runs, one walk, and three strikeouts while taking the loss.
The Smokies' pitching staff matched Chattanooga's effort and then some. Beck set the tone immediately, striking out each of the first six batters he faced. He went on to throw five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out 10. Yenri Rojas took over in the sixth and delivered two scoreless innings of relief. Tyler Ras then made his second appearance of the series and slammed the door. Entering with a 1.51 ERA on the season, Ras fired two scoreless innings to complete the shutout and move the Smokies to within one win of a Southern League North championship.
Game 5: Championship Saturday
With the Smokies in the driver's seat and only one win away from a playoff berth, the atmosphere inside Covenant Health Park was electric. Everyone knew what was at stake: win, and the Smokies were in. Knoxville came out swinging in the first inning, plating two runs. The first came on an Alex Ramirez RBI double down the left-field line that scored Jefferson Rojas. The second followed on an Andy Garriola groundout that brought home Owen Ayers. The scoring remained dormant until the eighth inning, when Chattanooga's Julio Carreras launched his first home run of the season to cut into the deficit and give the Lookouts some life. However, the momentum was short-lived. In the bottom half of the inning, Hayden Cantrelle answered with an RBI ground ball through the right side, scoring a run and taking the wind out of Chattanooga's sails.
The Lookouts turned to Double-A veteran Kevin Abel for the start. Aside from a rocky first inning and a few untimely walks, Abel delivered a solid outing, tossing five innings while allowing three hits and two earned runs. He also struck out seven. Chattanooga then handed the ball to Taylor Floyd, who worked two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out two. Will Cannon handled the final inning, surrendering one run on three hits while recording one strikeout.
The Smokies' pitching staff did what it had done all season: bend but not break. Starter Grant Kipp set the tone by throwing four scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out two. Tyler Santana followed with two scoreless frames of his own, giving up two hits and striking out one. Marino Santy then took over, tossing two innings while allowing just one run on one hit and striking out three. To close out the victory, Knoxville turned to Evan Taylor, who delivered a perfect ninth inning, retiring all three batters he faced. When the final out was recorded, the Smokies had clinched the Southern League North first-half championship and secured home-field advantage for the Southern League Division Series.
Game 6: Lookouts Look for Revenge in the Post Celebration Day
The Smokies had already claimed the first-half title, while the Lookouts were left to settle for second place. After dropping three straight games and watching Knoxville celebrate a division championship, Chattanooga entered Sunday with something to prove. The Lookouts came out swinging, erupting for four runs in the first inning. A Cam Collier line-drive RBI brought home Jay Allen II before Ryan McCrystal grounded out, allowing Johnny Ascanio to score. Ruben Ibarra then crushed a two-run homer to cap the inning and give Chattanooga a 4-0 lead.
Knoxville attempted to battle back, getting on the board in the third inning with a Carter Trice RBI double before Devin Ortiz launched a three-run homer in the fifth. However, the Lookouts' offense never slowed down. Chattanooga scored at least one run in each of the final three innings, and Julio Carreras delivered the finishing blow with a solo home run to left field in the ninth, extending the lead to 11-4.
Both clubs relied heavily on their bullpens after an intense week of meaningful baseball. With tired arms and player health in mind, neither manager asked much of his starting pitcher. Nate Peterson for Chattanooga and Brooks Caple for Knoxville each worked four innings before turning the game over to their respective bullpens. The two teams combined to use more than eight pitchers, creating the conditions for an offensive showdown. In the end, Chattanooga's bats proved too much to overcome as the Lookouts earned an 11-4 victory.
Wrap Up
The Smokies entered the series one game ahead of the Lookouts, with both clubs controlling their own destiny. It came down to which team wanted it more and which team played better baseball. Chattanooga came out strong, taking the first two games of the series and appearing to have a clear path to the division title. However, the momentum shifted over the weekend as Knoxville responded in dominant fashion. The Smokies won the next three games, clinching the Southern League North first-half title and securing a postseason berth for September.
Looking to salvage a split after narrowly missing out on the championship, the Lookouts came out swinging on Sunday and plated 11 runs against Knoxville. While Chattanooga evened the series, the Smokies had already accomplished their goal: they were division champions.
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