The second place Chattanooga Lookouts (8-4) came from behind to tie Mobile, 4-4, Monday night, then won the game in the tenth inning, 5-4, on Noochie Varner's RBI double. As has been the case in game-after-game this season, the difference in the contest was one run.
In the tenth inning, catcher Miguel Perez singled and took second on a sacrifice bunt out by Anderson Machado. Varner doubled home Perez with what proved to be the winning run.
Lookouts closer David Shafter set Mobile down in the tenth inning.
Both teams got solid performances out of their starting pitchers: Travis Chick for the Lookouts and Jared Wells for the BayBears.
Neither team could score until the bottom of the fourth inning when Mobile scored two runs on back-to-back lead off home runs by Steve Baker and Drew Macias. Mudcats 2 Lookouts 0
Chattanooga tied the game in the fifth inning.
- Alex Sanchez reached base on a two-out single;
- Joey Votto followed with a home run over the center field wall. The homer was Votto's fourth of the year.
- Aaron Herr kept the inning alive with a double center, followed by a walk to Javier Colina.
- The threat ended when Eric Crozier struck out swinging. Mudcats 2 Lookouts 2
Chick left the game after pitching 4 2/3 innings. He gave up five hits, two runs (both homers), walked two and fanned four.
Tom Shearn relieved Chick in the fifth inning and got the final out by striking out Baker.
The BayBears scored two runs off Shearn to break the 2-2 tie in the sixth inning.
- Macias led off with a single to center;
- After an out, first baseman Fernando Valenzuela Jr. doubled to right;
- Pinch hitter Adam Bourassa walked to load the bases;
- Kennard Jones's plated Macias and Valenzuela Jr. Mudcats 4 Lookouts 2
Jared Wells pitched five innings, giving up eight hits and two runs; he walked one hitter and struck out six Lookouts.
Chattanooga added a run in the seventh inning. Chris Dickerson singled and reached second base on a ground out. Aaron Herr's double sent the speedy Dickerson racing across the plate with the run. Mudcats 4 Lookouts 3
The Lookouts tied the game in the eighth inning. After Perez walked, he moved to third on Machado's double. Perez raced home with the tying run on
Varner's sacrifice fly to right. Mudcats 4 Lookouts 4
That set the stage for Varner's game winning double in the tenth inning.
Chattanooga finished with 14 hits. Dickerson and Herr were 2-for-5, Sanchez and Votto were each 2-for-6, and Colina was 2-for-3 in the game.
Brock Till (3-0) picked up the win in relief, and Shafer collected his fourth save of the year.
The Lookouts stranded 13 runners and the BayBears left 9 men on base.
Southern League North Division Standings
Team ----- W L PCT GB
West Tenn -- 8 3 .727 ----
Chattanooga 8 4 .667 0.5
Huntsville -- 7 5 .583 1.5
Carolina --- 5 7 .417 3.5
Tennessee - 4 8 .333 4.5
* * * * *
The teams meet again Tuesday at 8:05 p.m. for the third game of their series. The game can be heard at AM 1310 radio or over the Internet at www.lookouts.com
The Lookouts return home Friday night to take on the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx (Cubs).
Noochie Varner's tenth inning double gave the Lookouts the lead, and win, in Monday night's game.
Click to enlarge photo.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt (file photo)