Smokies fall to third place in the Southern League after second series loss in a row
The Smokies returned home last weekend after a tough road series against the Pensacola Wahoos where they lost four of six contests. Standout starter Grant Kipp won the first game for Knoxville, but dropped the fifth game, going 1-1 in the series. The Smokies faced strong pitching throughout that series against the Miami Marlin farm hands. Top 100 prospect Robbie Snelling looked the part, striking out nine in the third game of the six-game set, and he is helping Pensacola pace the Southern League on this young season at 18-9.
The next series saw Knoxville return home but the outcome was much the same. Here’s a look at the 2025 Smokies second series of professional baseball in the Old City.
Game One: 4/29 – Smokies win slugfest 9-6 in C-Mo’s return to Knoxville.
The second home series of the season was a matchup against the Angels affiliate from Huntsville, AL, the Rocket City Trash Pandas. The Pandas are loaded with eleven top prospects in the organization on their current roster.
The prospect everyone wanted to see however, was former UT standout and 2024 first-round pick (#8 overall) Christian Moore. “C-Mo,” who wore knee-high light blue socks and played second base, received a thunderous ovation as he led off the game. Moore promptly singled on the first pitch of the evening off Smokies starter Will Sanders, who carried a 2.95 ERA into the contest.
In the bottom of the second inning, Right Fielder Jaylen Palmer broke a scoreless tie with a two-run shot to center field that scored second baseman Corey Joyce and gave Knoxville an early two-zip lead. The homer was Palmer’s third of the year.
Just half an inning later, in hectic action with two outs, Rocket City first baseman Sam Brown singled to left which scored center fielder Nelson Rada. Rocket City’s Cole Fontenelle tried to score as well but left fielder Jordan Nwogo had other plans and nailed him at the plate, at which point Smokies catcher Nelson Aliendo fired to second to get Brown to complete a rare 7-1-4 double play. The Smokies led 2-1 but Will Sanders found himself in trouble in both innings and his pitch count was rising.
In the bottom of the third, Nwogu led off with a single and stole second. This was his seventh swipe this season. Center fielder Brett Bateman singled to center, which moved Nwogu over to third. The Smokies were in business as Pedro Ramirez walked to load the bags with nobody out. First basemen BJ Murray then lined out to center to score Nwogu, for a sacrifice RBI that made the score 3-1. Second baseman Corey Joyce then delivered a bullet up the middle to score Bateman, which put the good guys up 4-1. The hit marked Joyce’s first RBI as a member of the Smokies. Huntsville stud pitcher Mitch Farris, who carried a 1.45 ERA into this game, struggled at times in this one.
In the top of 4th, Sanders walked left fielder Tucker Flint. After striking out catcher Myles Emmerson, fan favorite “C-Mo” launched the first offering from Sanders over the wall in left center for a two run shot, putting the Pandas back in the game. The homer was the first of Moore’s AA career, who came into the game hitting just .200. So much for the pitchers duel we thought we were going to see.
A scary play happened in the bottom of the 4th as Aliendo walked to lead off the inning, but on a double play attempt, he slid awkwardly into second for the force out and had a noticeable limp as he walked back to the dugout. Aliendo is the highest rated prospect on the Smokies roster this season and fortunately, he was able to stay in the game.
The bottom of the fifth saw BJ Murray smack a solo shot over the scoreboard for his sixth home run of the season. Murray has been on a tear to start the season and the Smokies led 5-3.
In the top half of the sixth, Smokies Tyler Santana came in to relieve Sanders, who went five innings, giving up three runs on four hits, while striking out five, for a respectable start. The bullpen has struggled so far this season, and is missing Frank “the Stache” Scalzo who went on the developmental list earlier in the week. Santana promptly gave up a single, walk and eventual three run homer to Rocket City left fielder Tucker Flint, which gave the visitors the lead at 6-5. C-Mo later singled and finished his big night by going 3-5 with a homer and a pair of RBI’s in his return to Knoxville.
The bottom part of the inning saw Shortstop Hayden Cantrelle triple off the right field wall. Nelson Aliendo followed up with an RBI double to center that scored Cantrelle, tying the game up at six a piece. Aliendo obviously wasn’t feeling any ill effects from the awkward slide he experience earlier in the contest.
Rocket City brought in a relief pitcher Kelvin Caceres in the eighth.
Caceres immediately beamed right fielder Jaylen Palmer on a pitch that hit the brim of his helmet. After Palmer collected himself, he stayed in the game, then scored on a double off the hot bat of Hayden Cantrelle ,which broke the tie and gave the Smokies a 7-6 lead. The Smokies tacked on three runs in the inning and never looked back. Smokies reliever Mitchell Tyranski came in to close it out to give the home team a 9-6 victory. The Smokies moved to (11-10) on this season with the W.
Notes of the game:
The Smokies continue to run and run often as they collected four more stolen bases in the game. They got two from Nwogo, and one each from Cantrelle and Ramirez.
This game featured a little bit of everything, from outfield assists (Nwogu) to strange double plays (a 7-1-4 in the third).
The starting pitchers went five respectable innings each, both coming into the game with sub three ERA’s. Rocket City’s Mitch Farris gave up five runs but struck out seven and had really good stuff most of the night, but the long ball cost him in this contest. His prospect ranking will rise this season.
Smokies reliever Tyler Santana gave up four hits and three runs in his lone inning of work, but struck out two. The bullpen continues to be a rough spot for the Smokies.
Weeknight games seem to have lower attendance but should pick up once the kiddos are out of school in a couple of weeks. Attendance was announced at 3,791 but looked significantly less.
Game 2: 4/30 – Smokies get the better end of starting pitchers’ duel
The Knoxville Smokies won a nail biter in the second game of the series against the Trash Pandas, 5-4.
This game featured just ten combined hits by the Angels and Cubs farmhands. Christian Moore played DH in the game and got on base all three times with a single, two walks and an RBI. Smokies shortstop Hayden Cantrelle continued his hot hitting, going 2-2 with a run and a walk.
Starting pitching was strong in the game as both dueled for six innings each. Rocket City’s Walbert Urena struck out eight and gave up an earned run while Smokies starter Chris Kashmir, who’s been steady this season, gave up a run and struck out four. The shaky bull-pen gave up three more runs the final five frames but Knoxville held on for the win.
Notes of the game:
The Smokies collected two more stolen bases as they continue to be a fun team to watch on the base paths.
Rocket City struggled with runners in scoring position going 1-13 in the game.
Game 3: 5/1 – Smokies comeback falls short in 5-3 loss
Knoxville dropped the third game of the series 5-3, despite scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth. The home team gave up two runs in the fourth when Trash Panda’s Denzer Guzman doubled to score Christian Moore, who went 1-4 on the evening.
Rocket City got on the board again in the inning when Cole Fontenelle singled to score Guzman to make the score 2-0. From there, it was a pitcher’s duel until the top of the eighth when the Trash Pandas left fielder David Calabrese hit a solo shot to right to make it 3-0 Pandas.
The ninth inning saw five combined runs as a couple of wild pitches by Smokies reliever Will Jensen did the Smokies in. The Smokies scored three times in the bottom of the ninth but Rocket City reliever Samy Natera Jr. finally shut the door on the Smokies.
Notes of the game:
Smokies third baseman BJ Murray had another solid performance going 2-4 with a run scored.
Smokies bullpen gave up three earned runs in the last two frames but starter Sam Armstrong pitched admirably going six, while giving up two earned runs and striking out four.
Rocket City starter Sam “The Italian Stallion” Aldegheri was strong, going seven innings with no runs and eight strikeouts.
Games 4 & 5 – (5/2 and 5/3) were rain outs.
Game four (Friday) was made up as game one of a Sunday double header while Saturday’s game (Game 5) was cancelled
Sunday 5/4 – Game 1 of twin bill (Makeup from 5/2)
Smokies starter Grant Kipp matched up with Pandas starter George Klassen in the first part of Knoxville’s first double header at the new park.
Kipp didn’t have his best stuff in the game, as he gave up four runs on eight hits and struck out four. Klassen, on the other hand, faired much better and had swing and miss stuff, as he only gave up one hit and one run with five strikeouts in five innings of work.
Not much happened until the top of fourth when Rocket City’s Sam Brown, who was the star of the game, broke a scoreless tie when he lined a two-run triple to right to score center fielder Nelson Rada and Designated Hitter Cole Fontenelle. The inning got worse for Kipp as catcher Jason Crouch singled home Brown. Crouch later scored on a two-run homer to right center by Rocket City right fielder David Calabrese, putting the Trash Pandas up 4-0 at this point.
The Smokies finally got on the board in the fifth when catcher Casey Opitz was able to get an RBI groundout to score first baseman Haydn McGeary to make the score 4-1 Trash Pandas. Hits were at a premium against Klassen.
In the top of the seventh, Rocket City’s Brown singled up the middle scoring second baseman Christian Moore and Nelson Rada. Fontenelle was called out at third on an outfield assist by Smokies center fielder Brett Bateman to end the inning. Rocket City went up 6-1 and never looked back. Knoxville tacked on a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh by Jaylen Palmer – his fourth of the season – which scored left fielder Parker Chavers, but Rocket City won the game 6-3, tying the series at two games apiece.
Notes of the game:
Rocket City first baseman Sam Brown had a monster game, going 4-4 with two triples, four RBI’s and a run scored.
Rocket City’s Christian Moore went 1-3 in the game with a walk and strikeout.
Knoxville went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and fell to 12-12 in the Southern League.
Game 2 – Rocket City spoils “Oat Milkers” debut.
The second game of the Sunday twin billing which was a make up for the May 2nd rainout saw the home team sporting the Malmo Oat Milkers uniforms, a Sweden-based baseball team.
All 120 (MiLB) teams will don the “Oat Milkers uni’s this season as a corporate sponsor innovation and the squad has been dubbed the “121st minor league team” this season.
The jerseys were white and black with pink accents and instead of the player name on the back, it simply read “baseball player.” It was a unique promotion that puzzled many in attendance. Unfortunately, the cool uniforms did not help the Smokies as they were hammered 8-2 by the visitors (who wore bright blue away jerseys) and ultimately dropped the series three games to two.
In the top of the fourth, Rocket City got on the board first when catcher Myles Emmerson reached on a fielder’s choice that scored shortstop Denzer Guzman. Right fielder David Calabrese, who seemingly had timely hit after timely hit in the series, delivered again, by lining a single to right which scored Emmerson to put Rocket City up 2-0.
The wheels fell off for the Oat Milkers in the seventh inning as Rocket City plated six runs to go up 8-0. First baseman Sonny DiChiara did the most damage as he swatted a grand slam to left, which scored Guzman, Cole Fontenelle and Emmerson.
In the bottom of the seventh, which is the final inning of double header games, Oat Milkers Pedro Ramirez doubled home Hayden Cantrelle and Jordan Nwogu to get the Malmo Oat Milkers their only runs of the contest.
Series Notes:
Christian Moore went 1-3 with another walk and a stolen base in the final game of the series. “C-Mo” entered the series hitting .200 but was solid from the plate and raised his batting average twenty points in the process. C-Mo was 5-18 with five runs and he scored in each contest. He hit his first home run of the season to go along with 3 RBI, four walks and two stolen bases in the five-game set. AA pitching is an adjustment and after the quick start in A ball last season, Moore will probably spend the entire season in AA this year.
The Smokies bats went as cold as the temperatures last week. The Smokies scored nine runs in the first game, but only eight total runs in the final three games. Left fielder Jordan Nwogo (.254) and second baseman Pedro Ramirez (.289) are the only Smokies hitting above .250 this season. The team is near the bottom of the league in batting average with a team average of .218.
Knoxville is third in the Southern League with 44 stolen bases, but dead last in runs scored with 94 this season.
Knoxville is in the middle of the pack in pitching with a team ERA of 4.15.
The Smokies fell to 12-13 (5-6 home, 7-7 road) on the season and dropped behind Birmingham (14-12) and Chattanooga (14-12) in the process. They will face off against a hot Chattanooga Lookouts team next in Chattanooga at AT&T Field before returning home against Columbus.
Former Vol pitcher Chase Burns was recently promoted to Chattanooga and will likely return to Knoxville in June when Chattanooga returns to Knoxville.
The next home series for the Smokies is May 13th-18th against the Columbus Clingstones, the affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.
