Smokies conclude home stand against Orlando

After splitting a four-game series against the then Western Division leading West Tenn Diamond Jaxx last week, the Tennessee Smokies picked up their second win in a four game series over the struggling Orlando Rays at Smokies Park Sunday night. The win pushed the Smokies’ (14-9) current winning streak to three games, two and a half games behind division leading Carolina (17-7). Behind pitching ace Dan Haren (4-0, 1.09), Tennessee picked up a 3-0 shutout victory over the Rays (17-7) in the first game of the series. Haren held the Rays scoreless through seven innings and newly acquired Kevan Burns tripled twice to score all three runs in the win. Burns, who joins the team after a trade with Arizona last week, tripled home Dan Moylan and John Nelson in the second inning to open the scoring. Burns tripled again in the fifth and was driven home by a Caonabo Cosme single to give Haren an insurance run. Haren picked up his third win of the season in the opening game of the series against West Tenn last Tuesday, as the Smokies defeated the Diamond Jaxx 3-2. Yadier Molina had three hits, including two RBIs, and Scott Krause scored a run, while Haren went eight innings, giving up only four hits and one earned run. Smokies’ closer Mike Lyons shut the door in the ninth, earning his seventh save of the season. West Tenn took the next two contests of the series, before shortstop John Nelson had what could have been his breakout game in a Smokies’ uniform Friday night. Tennessee earned a split in the series as Nelson was sterling in the field and smacked his first home run of the season to help fuel the 5-4 come from behind win. With the game tied at 4-4 in the eighth, Bucky Jacobsen doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Jacobsen came in to score when Cosme doubled down the third base line. Lyons pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up the save. Tennessee trailed 3-1 heading into the sixth inning when Nelson launched a three-run homer to center field off reliever David Gash. Nelson’s blast gave the Smokies their first lead of the game, 4-3. West Tenn opened the scoring off Tennessee starter Juan Pena in the third. Donny Leon singled with two outs and Jason Dubois connected off Pena for his fourth home run of the season. The Smokies continued their series with Orlando with a support the troops rally being held before the game on Monday night. The four-game series was then capped with a matinee match-up on Tuesday. Tennessee will travel on Wednesday before embarking on a four game series against West Tenn in Jackson, Tennessee.