smokies stay near the top of north division

The Tennessee Smokies posted a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Mudcats Sunday at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, North Carolina.

Tennessee is now 5-2 over its last seven games following an extended homestand last week that featured, among other things, a no-hitter by starting pitcher Mark Holliman.

The Smokies finished one game out of first place behind first-half division champ Huntsville and are now trying to claim a playoff position by winning the second-half North Division Title in the Southern League. The winners of the first and second half of the two Southern League divisions match up in the postseason playoffs for a chance at the league title.

Tennessee (5-2), in its first year as the Double-A Southern League affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, was tied for first place with Chattanooga going into Monday’s game at Carolina.

On the heels of a Saturday night home game, a 2-1 loss to Huntsville, Tennessee hit the road and came away winners Sunday against the Mudcats.

Tennessee’s Jake Fox scored Sam Fuld with a two-out RBI single in the first inning Sunday and then touched home plate himself in the sixth inning thanks to a Chris Robinson RBI.

Matt Craig homered for Tennessee in the eighth.

Holliman pitched his no-hitter in game-one of a seven-inning double-header against Huntsville Thursday at Smokies Park.

Tennessee won 3-0 as Holliman was dominant from start to finish, facing just one batter over the minimum. His lone blemish of the game was a leadoff walk in the third inning.

Holliman fanned three batters in seven innings to notch his seventh win of the season against five losses.

He helped his own cause with a two-run home run that scored Jorge Cortes.

For the game, Holliman threw 81 pitches, inducing twelve groundouts and six fly outs. The entire Smokies team mobbed him after retiring Brenden Katin on a groundout to end the game, and he tipped his cap to the fans during a post-game standing ovation.

The no-hitter was the third ever in the history of Smokies Park since opening on April 20, 2000. Smokies pitcher Leo Estrella threw a six-inning no-hitter against the Orlando Rays on May 27, 2000. Orlando Rays pitcher Gerardo Garcia returned the favor to the Smokies on May 21, 2002, throwing a seven-inning no-hitter during a double-header.

Tennessee completed the double-header sweep over Huntsville with a 4-2 win in game-2.