Biscuits Fail to Clinch Post Season with 3-1 Loss to Smokies, Look to Clinch Tuesday Night

The Biscuits (74-60) had a chance to clinch a playoff berth for a team-record fourth-consecutive season with a victory on Monday night, but fell, 3-1, in the fourth game of their five-game series against the Tennessee Smokies (65-67) at Riverwalk Stadium.

Benton Moss tossed eight innings for the second-straight start, and had a 1-0 lead in the first thanks to Brett Sullivan’s RBI-double off Tennessee starter Michael Rucker. Rucker lasted five innings and surrendered just the one run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts in a no-decision.

The Biscuits controlled their 1-0 lead in the seventh until Moss served up a one-out solo home run to Smokies shortstop Trent Giambrone that sailed over the left field wall and tied the game at one.

The game shifted to the ninth when Yoel Espinal (3-3) was brought out of the bullpen. The right-hander then loaded the bases and Eddy Martinez blooped the go-ahead RBI-single into center before a Vimael Machine sac fly made it a 3-1 game. The Biscuits went three and out against Wyatt Short (4-3) in the ninth to seal the defeat.

The Biscuits will try to punch their ticket to the postseason again on Tuesday night, the final regular season home game of the year, when it will be Fan Appreciation Night at Riverwalk Stadium with Forrest Snow (0-0) taking on Keegan Thompson (5-2) at 6:35 PM.