The Tennessee Smokies won the Southern League East Division playoffs beating the Lookouts At BellSouth Park Saturday night, 7-6.

Game four of the playoffs looked like it was going to be a pitcher’s duel between the Lookouts’ starter Bubba Nelson and the Smokies’ Jeremy Cummings.

Nelson gave up just three hits in five innings of work, walking one and striking out six batters.

After sailing through the first three innings, Nelson gave up his first hit in the fourth inning – a double by Papo Bolivar. Unfortunately the other two hits off Nelson were home runs. First baseman Chris Duncan sent a monstrous shot over the right field pavilion to give Tennessee the lead, 2-0.

Shortstop Milko Jaramillo led off the Smokies’ fifth with a solo home run making the score 3-0. Nelson then fanned the next three hitters.

The Lookouts scored two runs in their half of the fifth inning and nearly three runs. With the bases loaded, Edwin Encarnacion fouled off a 3-2 pitch and then lined a single to left field scoring Jeff Bannon and Bryan Anderson. Jesse Gutierrez followed with a shot into the right field gap that hung up long enough for right fielder Skip Schumaker to make a lunging, diving catch for the third out.

Brad Salmon, relieving Nelson who was on a pitch count, was tagged for four runs in the sixth inning. The key blow for Tennessee was Chad Ehrnsberger’s three-run blast over the left center field wall giving Tennessee a 7-2 lead. The home run was his second of the playoffs.

It appeared Chattanooga would knick away at the big lead in the bottom of the sixth. Jason Hill led off with a single and Travis Wilson singled to center. Josh Axelson, pitching in relief, set down the next three Lookouts.

Players from both teams and the small crowd of 1,414 stood reverently as “God Bless America” was sung in the middle of the seventh inning in remembrance of the thousands of Americans that died on September 11, 2001.

In the seventh, Andrew Beattie walked, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Encarnacion’s RBI single off the left field wall. Gutierrez hit the ball hard but grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Smokies 7 Lookouts 3

The Lookouts loaded the bases with two out in the eighth inning with Andrew Beattie coming to the plate as the tying run. Beattie flew out to center field to end the threat leaving Chattanooga just three more outs in their season.

Down by four runs in the ninth, Bobby Darula led off with a single to left. Encarnacion followed with a walk bringing up Jesse Gutierrez. He hit a 2-1 pitch over the left field wall to make it 7-6 -- and still no outs.

The Smokies made another pitching change bringing in Greg Bauer. Bauer, who gave up a homer to Encarnacion in game one, faced Jason Hill. Hill struck out. Travis Wilson grounded to short and was out by a wisker.

Down by a run with two outs, Chris Denorfia kept the rally alive with a single to center. With Jeff Bannon at the plate, Denorfia moved into scoring position at second on a pass ball. Bannon fell behind in the count, 0-2, and struck out swinging to end the game -- and Chattanooga's fifth season at BellSouth Park.

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The Lookouts' clubhouse was obviously a subdued place as the loss and the end of the season set in. Manager Jayhawk Owens spoke to his team, followed by hitting coach Jamie Dismuke and pitching coach Bill Moloney. Players hugged each other as they said their good-byes, then packed their bags in preparation for their trips home.

Jeff Bannon and Richie Gardner will be traveling together enroute to their homes in California. Scott MacRae continues with wedding plans and a move the New England. In all likelihood, Edwin Encarnacion will continue playing baseball with the Cincinnati Reds.

There are always winners and losers; this group of young men may have dropped the playoffs but they are all winners.

Frank Burke and his staff provided this community with another season of family-oriented entertainment at beautiful BellSouth Park in downtown Chattanooga on the Tennessee River.

No more minor league baseball for 2004 but next spring the 2005 Lookouts will be ready to play.