The Lookouts made it two straight wins over Huntsville with Sunday’s with 7-3 victory before an announced crowd of 2,201. Chattanooga had a 7-0 lead before the rains came in the third inning causing an hour and eight minute delay. The Lookouts have captured five of their last six games.
Chattanooga (21-23) began the day in fourth-place of the Southern League’s North Division, 6.0 games behind the Jackson Generals (Seattle). The visiting Stars (23-20) were in second-place, 2.5 games back.
Right fielder Blake Smith continued his hot hitting. After going 4-for-5 and driving in the winning run Saturday, Smith hit a monstrous three-run homer over the right-field pavilion. Chattanooga outhit the visitors, 9-to-7.
Smith went 1-for-2 with 4 RBI; J. T. Wise was 3-for-4 with1 RBI and Travis Denker went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI.
The Lookouts took advantage of some big hits off local native Kyle Heckathorn (2-3) who was knocked out early after just two innings. The 6-6 right hander gave up seven earned runs on seven hits.
Chattanooga starter RHP Nathan Eovaldi (2-2) found himself in jam-after-jam early but managed to throw five scoreless innings, helped along by three double-plays.
Eovaldi remained in the game after the delay. Eovaldi, who began the season as the #3 Dodgers’ prospect according to
Baseball America, finished his day by setting down the Stars in order in the fifth. He yielded three hits, walked four and fanned two while his earned run average dropped from 3.72 to 3.18
Red Patterson came on to pitch a scoreless two innings in relief.
Blake Johnson, who followed Patterson, yielded three runs in the eighth. With one out, he walked two and paid for it when Hunter Morris doubled to plate the Stars’ first two runs. Another run scored and after Johnson gave up a base hit to Juan Sanchez, he was replaced by Steven Ames who got the final out of the inning.
Ames finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning and picked up a save.
Inning by inning Recap of the game.
Box
In Monday night's final game of the series, Ethan Martin will be gunning for his sixth win of the season as the Lookouts try to make it 4-of-5 wins over Huntsville.
Blake Smith homers, then rounds third base.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt