Darnell Sweeney hit his first home run of the season - a solo shot.
photo by Tim Evearitt
The Chattanooga Lookouts (4-7) started a fresh series at home against the Jacksonville Suns (3-8) on Monday night and took game one of the five game series, 6-4, on 70's night at AT&T Field.
On the mound, Lookouts starting pitcher Carlos Frias (W, 1-1) had as good of a pitching performance as you could ask for from a starter. The righty was just one out short of pitching through eight innings, needing to face only 15 batters to get the last 14 outs of his appearance.
Carlos Frias
Frias got off to a rocky start as Jacksonville jumped out to an early lead in the first on a RBI ground out by Brady Shoemaker. By the time the Lookouts came to bat in the fifth inning, they were already down by two.
That changed quickly,however, when Daniel Mayora, Chris O'Brien and Ozzie Martinez hit three consecutive singles to start the fifth and bring home the team's first run of the game. After a sacrifice bunt by the pitcher, Nutrition World Player of the Game Darnell Sweeney smacked a two-run single to give the Lookouts the 3-2 lead.
In the top of the eighth inning, the Suns threatened to tie the game with runners on the corners and two outs, but Darnell Sweeney made a fantastic dive and throw to first to end the inning. Sweeney then led off in the bottom of that inning and hammered a ball deep to right for an insurance run, giving him three RBIs in the game. After Sweeney's dinger, Jeremey Hazelbaker tripled home Noel Cuevas who reached earlier on a walk and then scored on a throwing error by Alex Burg.
In the ninth inning the Suns fought back, but Pedro Baez (S, 3) was able to come into the game and get the last two outs to close out the 6-4 win. With the save tonight, Baez is now three for three in save opportunities on the year.
Each of the eight starting position players for the Lookouts were able to reach base in the game, with all but one of them getting a hit. Noel Cuevas walked in the eighth inning, and that was his only time on base.
Box
The Lookouts face a tough test tomorrow night as the Suns have the top prospect in the Marlins system on the mound, LHP Andrew Heaney (1-0, 2.38 ERA). The Lookouts will counter with RHP Tyson Brummett (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who has only pitched four innings on the short year, but didn’t give up a run in his only start.
Brian Cavazos-Galvez makes a nice running catch in lef field.
photo by Tim Evearitt