The Chattanooga Lookouts pounded out nine hits in their 8-2 win over the Mobile BayBears Monday in front of 2,334 fans at AT&T Field Monday night.
The Lookouts played long ball by hitting three home runs in the contest: Josh Bell homered in the third, Tommy Giles hit a pinch-hit home run in the sixth, and Andrew Lambo left the yard in the seventh.
Bell got the Lookouts started in the bottom of the second with a solo shot to give Chattanooga an early 1-0 lead.
Mobile wasted little time countering the Lookouts. With two outs on the board, Pedro Ciriaco hit a laser over the left field wall to even-up the score. James Skelton followed with a walk and found his way home on a Chris Rahl double.
Chattanooga reclaimed the lead in the fifth. Eddy Perez and J.D. Closser began the rally with singles. Then starting pitcher Kendy Batista successfully executed a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. A wild pitch by pitcher Wes Roemer enabled Perez to score and Closser to reach third. After a James Tomlin walk, Justin Sellers singled to give the Lookouts the lead, 3-2.
Chattanooga exploded for four runs in the sixth. Lambo led off with a walk and quickly scored on a Russ Mitchell double. Perez followed with an RBI double of his own to give the Lookouts their second run of the inning. After a Closser ground out, Giles put the icing on the cake with a homer over the right field wall giving Chattanooga a 7-2 edge.
The big hits kept rolling for the Lookouts, as Lambo slammed a solo shot in the seventh to put the score at its final resting point, 8-2.
Mitchell, made a diving catch in right field for the final out of the game.
Monday's win moved the Lookouts into fourth place in the Southern League's North Division - just a half-game ahead of last place Tennessee. Chattanooga is just one-game out of third place.
Kendy Batista (1-0), making his debut for the Lookouts, went 6.0 innings, giving up two runs on four hits; he walked three and struck out seven.
Roemer (2-3) took the loss for the BayBears, throwing 5 1/3 innings in the outing. He surrendered seven runs on eight hits and three walks. He struck out two in the losing effort.
The two teams will continue their five-game series at 7:15 P.M., Tuesday night.
Tickets for this 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.
Tommy Giles hit his first home run as a member of the Chattanooga Lookouts.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt