Stuck in the cellar of the Southern League’s Northern Division, the 16-30 Tennessee Smokies saw the Mississippi Braves connect on three home runs in an 8-4 victory over the Smokies Tuesday in the first game of a five-game series this week at Smokies Park in Kodak.

The Braves, the last place team in the Southern League’s South Division, improved to 17-29 with Tuesday’s win. Tennessee and Mississippi, the teams with the two worst records in the Southern League, will continue the series every night this week through Saturday with each contest beginning with a 7:15 p.m. first pitch. After an off-day this coming Sunday, the Smokies will host Carolina in a five-game series beginning Monday.

With the first half of the Southern League’s season drawing to an end, the Smokies and Braves will be fighting this week to avoid being the team with the worst record in the league with the end of the first half fast approaching on June 15.

Since winning seven of its first 10 games to start the season, Tennessee Smokies manager Buddy Bailey has seen his squad win just nine games since.

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