Both teams exchanged two-run rallies in the second inning. The Lookouts set the stage of their rally by loading the bases. Elian Herrera then came up to the plate and worked Lee Tabor (0-4) on the mound, ultimately inducing a walk to bring home Kyle Russell. Jessie Mier followed with a sacrifice fly to tie up the game, 2-2.
Carolina briefly took back the lead in the top of the third by plating one run, but the Lookouts countered with four runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good. Hector Gimenez led off with a walk and scampered to second on a subsequent Corey Smith single. Kyle Russell then walked to load the bases. Clayton Shunick then replaced Lee Tabor on the mound but proceeded to mimic his predecessor by walking Scott Van Slyke to bring home a run. Wilberto Ortiz then hit a sacrifice fly to bring home the second run of the inning. Herrera kept the rally alive by nailing an RBI single. A run-resulting ground out by Jessie Mier capped the big, four-run inning.
RBI doubles from Gimenez and Van Slyke in the fourth frame augmented the Lookouts’ lead, 8-3.
Herrera continued his eventful day by slugging a two-run double in the sixth inning to add some insurance runs to the Lookouts’ total.
After experiencing some early turbulence, Lookouts starting pitcher Will Savage settled down to retire the final 10 batters he faced on the evening. The opportunistic Mudcats, however, greeted Lookouts reliever Joel Lima with a Cody Puckett RBI double, which was prefaced by Quintin Berry reaching first on a fielding error by Wilberto Ortiz.
Steven Ames prevented any further damage by shutting the door on the Mudcats in the final frame.
Savage (6-2) finished the afternoon with five strikeouts over seven innings. He yielded three runs, two of which were earned, on four hits and two walks.
The Chattanooga Lookouts and Carolina Mudcats will continue their five-game series at 7:15 P.M., tonight. Tickets for this game or any other Lookouts home game can be purchased at the Lookouts Box Office at AT&T Field, online at www.lookouts.com, or by calling 423-267-4849.
