Miguel Rojas and Rafael Ynoa celebrate with a happy Joc Pederson following his three-run homer.
photo by Tim Evearitt
The Chattanooga Lookouts had weeks of frustration released in one fell swoop Monday night when they pulled off back-to-back shutouts of the Jacksonville Suns, 2-0 and 7-0, in a pair of seven-inning games at AT&T Field.
A brilliant two-hitter by the club's hard-luck starter, Andres Santiago, was backed by Joc Pederson's 19th homer and three RBIs in the nightcap after Chris Reed threw his best game of the season, a crisp six-hitter, in the opener. The Lookouts, who were eliminated from postseason contention the night before, are still 20 games below .500 with eight home games remaining in 2013.
The Lookouts managed only three hits in the opener, but one of them was a first-inning solo homer by J.T.
Wise, his eighth, to put Reed on track for his seven-inning complete game. The big left-hander out of Stanford walked only one while striking out eight in improving his record to 4-10 for the season. He also helped himself with a fifth-inning single, scoring the important second run on Rafael Ynoa's double.
Pederson's three-run homer in the first inning of the nightcap relaxed everybody, as the Lookouts piled up 10 hits in seven innings. Miguel Rojas had three, while Pederson added a double to his homer. Sean Burroughs got in the mix with a triple and two RBIs.
Santiago allowed only two singles while walking a pair and striking out three to improve to 4-12 for the season.
The teams continue their six-game series Tuesday night at 7:15.