The Tennessee Smokies (33-45, 6-2) will remain atop the North Division to start the second half by knocking off the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (44-34, 3-5), 6-3 at Pringles Park.
Tyler Colvin drove home the games first three runs in the top of the first inning. Sam Fuld lead of the game with a walk and moved to second when Matt Camp was hit by a pitch. Colvin then failed on two sacrifice bunt attempts then hit a 2-2 pitch of the right field fence. Tennessee scored one more in the first to take an early 4-0 lead.
The Diamond Jaxx responded with a Mike Wilson solo homerun. He hit the blast of Smokies starter James Russell in the second inning to make the score 4-1. The round-tripper was Wilson’s 17th which is second most in the Southern League and Russell’s twelfth allowed which is the third most for any pitcher.
Tennessee build on the lead by adding two more runs in the fifth. Doug Deeds and Nate Spears started the inning with singles. Josh Lansford then followed after one was retired with a line drive double to left scoring Deeds. Nate Spears then crossed the plate on a Fuld groundout running the lead to five at 6-1.
Wilson again took Russell deep to left-center in the sixth. His two-run homerun was the third off Tennessee in the last two games. The Jaxx climbed back to with in three at 6-3.
James Russell (2-3), despite the two long balls yielded to Mike Wilson pitched very well. He went 6.2 innings with six hits, no walks and four strikeouts. Russell allowed three runs and left with two retired in the bottom of the seventh.
Rocky Roquet pitched one stellar inning of relief. He retired all three batters with a strikeout mixed in and kept the Smokies lead at 6-3.
Dumas Garcia(S-1) pitched the ninth and nailed down the save retiring the Jaxx in order.
The Smokies continue their series Thursday evening in Jackson, TN. Mitch Atkins (6-6) will start against the Diamond Jaxx hurler Anderson Garcia (0-0). Tennessee is back at Smokies Park on Monday, June 30th to play the Milwaukee Brewers affiliate Huntsville Stars.

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