Smokies drop first two to Rays

The Orlando Rays (15-20, 47-57 greeted the visiting Smokies (22-13, 57-48) with two straight losses to open their four game series in Orlando. The road weary Tennessee club got Monday night off after rain forced a cancellation of game three. The two will meet in a double header on Tuesday before both clubs travel to Kodak to begin a four game series at Smokies Park. Tennessee’s two out ninth inning rally fell short as the Smokies opened the series with a 6-4 loss at Orlando Saturday night. The Smokies, trailing 6-2 heading into the ninth, rallied against Rays closer Josh Parker. Chris Weekly drew a full count walk to start the rally and advanced to third on Skip Schumaker’s single. John Nelson singled to score Weekly, and Papo Bolivar’s hard hit ground ball was misplayed by third baseman Juan Salas to score Schumaker. Bucky Jacobsen popped out to second to end the game with the tying run at first. Bucky Jacobsen’s league leading 22nd home run led off the second inning and gave Tennessee a short lived 1-0 lead. Chad Gaudin, who earlier this season threw the second perfect game in Southern League history, struck out a season high 11 batters and the Orlando offense pounded out 14 hits in a 7-1 Rays win over Tennessee Sunday afternoon. Eight of the nine Rays starter contributed at least one hit, with Juan Salas going 4-for-5 to lead the way. The Rays pounded out 14 hits in the win. Caonabo Cosme led off the third with a double off Gaudin (W, 2-0) and scored on a Chris Weekly single. That’s as close as the Smokies would come, as Orlando rallied for a three-run fourth and scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to chase Stocks.