It seems like each time Tennessee Smokies manager Buddy Bailey goes to his bullpen, he finds everything but relief.
Chattanooga's Michael DeJesus crushed a two-run homer off reliever Grant Johnson to cap a four-run rally in the seventh inning and the Lookouts beat Tennessee 8-7 on Saturday night at Smokies Park.
Consecutive one-out singles by Danny Dorn, Tonys Gutierrez and Chris Valaika filled the bases. Johnson (1-1), who bailed starter Jeff Samardzija out of a sixth-inning jam, retired Thomas Collaro before DeJesus cranked a two-strike pitch over the right-field fence bringing a groan from the crowd of 5,895.
"Obviously Johnson had a very, very bad night,"
Bailey said.
Tennessee's beleaguered bullpen has become the arson squad this month.
The relievers have allowed 28 runs (7.80 earned-run average) on 38 hits in 32 1/3 innings with 23 walks and 23 strikeouts. The Smokies have converted two of seven save opportunities.
Bailey was aware of how the bullpen has soured but preferred not to know to what extent.
"I don't want to look at them (numbers),"
he said. "I'd probably get sick."
Is it any wonder Tennessee's starters, who are limited to about 100 pitches, haven't won a game since Donnie Veal on May 31?
The Smokies (26-37) have had a terrible first half. But they have won 10 of their last 15 as they attempt to build momentum for the midseason restart June 17.
That number would be considerably higher, if not for the bullpen's meltdown.
"We could be 14-1,"
Bailey said.
Relievers aren't big-time prospects, but they must provide a pick-me-up nonetheless.
"That's what bullpen guys are for,"
Bailey explained. "We don't have anybody right now who is constantly and consistently covering a starter's back."
A shakeup is possible with Dumas Garcia, who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings Saturday to drop his ERA to 3.27 since arriving from Class A Daytona on May 21, playing a more significant role.
"Mr. Garcia's status is growing,"
Bailey said. "He is a new guy on the block but he is bypassing guys."
It's been a Jekyll and Hyde season for Samardzija. He wasn't sharp - five hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings - but he was good enough win.
"He struggled some but he had a chance for a win,"
Bailey said.
Tennessee staked Samardzija to a 6-2 lead.
Two-run singles by Tyler Colvin and Chris Robinson off Chattanooga starter Travis Wood were the big blows.
The former University of Notre Dame football star contributed to his exit with a pair of one-out walks in the sixth.
Samardzija was no mystery to Eric Eymann. Chattanooga's third baseman took Samardzija deep in the first and ripped a run-scoring double in the third.
Johnson was blistered for four hits and four runs in 1 1/3 innings.
"We're going to get this straightened out,"
Bailey insisted.
