Smokies take first

Ninth-inning comeback keys seventh straight victory The Tennessee Smokies have won the Eastern Division’s first half. The Smokies needed a ninth-inning rally to beat the Jacksonville Suns, 6-5, in Thursday’s game at Smokies’ Park. Yhency Brazoban (4-3) failed to convert a save opportunity by allowing four runs to score in the bottom of the ninth. Skip Shumaker had a two-out single in the ninth that brought in three runs. Dee Haynes, who forced in a run by drawing a walk a batter earlier, scored the winning run. Javier Colina scored the tying run, and Haynes came all the way around from first base and scored after the ball tipped off the catcher’s mitt on the play at the plate involving Colina. Smokies’ starter, Jeremy Cummings, took the no decision allowing five runs, three earned, in four innings. Josh Axelson held the fort by pitching three scoreless innings. Tyler Johnson (1-2) picked up his first win of the year by pitching the final 2/3 innings. Jacksonville starter, Glenn Bott, pitched five solid innings, yielding just two runs on four. Willy Aybar, went 4-5 for the Suns, with two RBI, including his eighth home run. Chattanooga fell to the Greenville Braves 5-4 Thursday night, which left the Smokies on top of the East Division by one game with three to play in the Southern League’s first half.