After playing in 104 degrees weather Sunday, welcomed rains cooled things down for Monday night's game at AT&T Field. The Tennessee Smokies cooled down the sizzling Lookouts who had won seven straight games. Blake Smith hit a grand slam, but the Lookouts offense could not muster any additional offense in a 6-4 loss to the Smokies.
Tennessee got off to an early lead by plating a run in the first frame. Leadoff hitter Logan Watkins led off the game by reaching first on a fielding error by second baseman Rafael Ynoa. Jae-Hoon Ha then ripped a double to left to score Watkins. Lookouts starting pitcher Allen Webster (3-8), however, was able to settle down to record the necessary three outs to prevent further damage.
The Smokies augmented their lead in the third with four critical runs. Watkins led off with a walk and made his way to second on a single from Ha. Junior Lake then singled to left, plating Watkins and pushing Ha to third. After a Justin Bour strikeout, Greg Rohan doubled to bring home Ha and Lake. Another booted ball by Ynoa enabled a hustling Rohan to scamper home all the way from second.
After being shut out for four straight innings, the Lookouts finally entered the scoreboard in a big way in the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and a full count, Blake Smith took a Dae-Eun Rhee (5-4) offering over the right field to put the Lookouts back into the game.
Both teams remained scoreless until the ninth, when the Smokies added an insurance run on a Bour infield single, which brought home Ha.
Frank Batista entered the game for the Smokies in the bottom of the ninth and closed the door on the Lookouts to earn his 14th save of the season in 14 chances.
Inning by inning Recap of the game.
Box Score
Tuesday, the Chattanooga Lookouts and Tennessee Smokies will wrap-up their three-game series at 6:15 P.M. with the Lookouts’ annual Independence Day Celebration.
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.
Smokies Jae-Hoon Ha is tagged out in a rundown at third.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt