Smokies’ magic number down to 4

(Tennessee Smokies) The Tennessee Smokies defeated the Mississippi Braves (56-66, 27-26) for the third consecutive night with a 7-1 win on Thursday night at Trustmark Park. The Smokies have outscored the Braves 17-4 over the first three games of the series, and with the win they lowered their magic number to clinch a playoff berth to 4.
Catcher Harrison Wenson put the Smokies (66-57, 29-25) on the board in the second inning, his second consecutive game with an RBI, but it was a pair of late homers that lifted them to victory. Yonathan Perlaza drove in what proved to be the winning run with a solo homer in the sixth, and Bryce Ball gave Tennessee plenty of cushion with a three-run shot in the seventh, his tenth of the year.
On the mound, RHP Ryan Jensen fired four innings of shutout baseball, allowing one hit while striking out five. Ben Hecht (W, 1-1) earned the win in relief over 1.2 scoreless frames. Four of the five outs LHP Bailey Horn recorded came via the strikeout, and the Smokies as a staff punched out 14. 
The Smokies will play game four of their six-game road trip with the Braves (56-66, 27-26) Friday night. First pitch is set for 7:35 PM ET when the Smokies send LHP Jordan Wicks (0-3, 5.57) to the mound against RHP Alan Rangel (5-6, 4.92).