The Lookouts are returning to Chattanooga with their backs against the wall following their 7-3 loss to the Jackson Generals Friday.
The hitting hero for the Generals was catcher Mike Zunino who went 3-for-4 with two home runs. The U. of Florida alum won the Spikes Award as the college Player of the Year by Baseball America. He was the third overall selection in the 2012 Major League draft.
In fairness to the Lookouts, they played without the same team that got them to the playoffs. They had Tyler Henson in left, Joc Pederson in right, and Jan Vazquez behind the plate.
Facing elimination, Chattanooga meets the Generals at AT&T Field Saturday night at 7:15 p.m. Unless they win Saturday, for the second straight year the Lookouts will have been swept in the first round of the playoffs.
Inning by inning recap of Friday's 7-3 loss.
Jackson’s James Gillheeney went six innings, giving up two runs on six hits.
In the first inning, the Generals jumped to a quick lead off Lookouts starter Zach Lee. Brad Miller led off with a double a advanced to third when Lee was called for a balk. Mike Zunino gave an indication that he was going to have a big game when his single to right scored Miller.
Lee settled down and Jackson did not score again until the fourth inning.
Thanks to Rafael Ynoa’s two-run homer in the third, Chattanooga took a 2-1 lead.
Zunino was the lead off hitter in the bottom of the fourth against Lee. He greeted the 20-year old with a solo home run to tie the game at 2.
Neither team did anything in the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Stefen Romero singled to lead off and Zunino smacked his second home run of the game. Geison Aguasviva replaced Lee and finished the sixth without giving up a run.
The Generals added two more runs in the seventh to give Jackson the lead, 6-2
The Lookouts missed an excellent opportunity to get back into the game when they loaded the bases with no outs but could only manage one run.
Jackson added an insurance run in the eighth.
The Lookouts needed a miracle in their final at bat in the ninth but there was no magic in their bats as former Lookouts closer Logan Bawcom kept them off the scoreboard.
Box Score
Rafael Ynoa had a two-run homer in the game -- his first of the season.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt