CLEMSON, S.C. — After two tough losses, the Tennessee Tornado picked up a huge road win last night over the Carolina Chaos, 2-0.
With Jason Trivette in hot water trying for his league-leading tenth save, one possible out turned into two as Topher Ellis dropped a line drive with the bases loaded but then started an unprecedented 4-2-6 double play in the bottom of the ninth inning. Trivette did indeed prevail for his tenth save.
Luis Lopez improved to 2-1 on five innings of two-hit ball with five strikeouts, while Frank Newcomb and Sean Albury both held the game scoreless. Newcomb worked two innings, allowing two hits and striking out a batter, while Albury improves his scoreless streak to 14 2-3 innings pitched without allowing a run. The Nassau, Bahamas, native hasn’t allowed a run to score since he shouldered a loss June 24 at Spartanburg when the winning run scored in the bottom of the eighth inning, after he came out of the game.
Head Coach Phil Al-Mateen coined the phrase “the resurgence of Jay Davis,” as the slumping outfielder led the offensive charge. Davis hit .389 with 15 RBIs in the first week of the season but came into the current road trip hitting just slightly more than .100. Last night he got his third and fourth hits in his last seven at-bats, going 2-3 after reaching base five times Wednesday at Morganton.
Tennessee improved to 24-13, remaining in first place over the Lake Norman Copperheads, while the Chaos fell to 17-20 at just a half-game better than the Spartanburg Blue Eagles.
Today the Tornado defend Cardinal Park against the Blue Eagles in a single game at 7 p.m. Then, in a make-up double-header, they’ll play the Carolina Stingers twice Sunday starting at 5 p.m. Finally, they’ll make up another rain-out against the Blue Eagles Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the regular season finale before hosting the tournament starting next Thursday.
