Tyler Duffey struck out 12 Biscuits in Sunday's game.
photo by Tim Evearitt
Starting pitcher Tyler Duffey struck out a career high 12 batters, but the Chattanooga Lookouts (23-14) fell to the Montgomery Biscuits (16-21), 2-1.
The Biscuits' bullpen threw six scoreless-innings while Richie Shaffer's go-ahead single in the ninth was the difference in the game
The Lookouts offense battled starter Jaime Schultz to the point where Schultz had to come out of the game after three innings because he had thrown 79 pitches. Despite the high pitch count, Schultz only allowed one run when he walked Adam Brett Walker with the bases loaded in the first inning.
Staked to an early one run lead Duffey bore down, recording five strikeouts over the first four innings.
The right-hander allowed his first and only run of the ballgame in the fifth, but stacked up zeros on the board after that. With seven more innings today, Duffey still leads the Southern League in innings pitched with 52.2 and his 12 strikeouts brought him to a league leading total of 54 on the season. For now, Duffey is tied with teammate Jose Berrios but the tie will be broken Monday when Berrios takes the mound.
Why does it seem to happen that two teams go toe-to-toe in a high scoring game and the following day there is a low scoring contest? It happened again over the past two days. Saturday night the Lookouts and Biscuits combined for 19 runs but after the dust settled Sunday, both teams had scored a total of just three runs.
Montgomery and Chattanooga had numerous scoring opportunities but the Biscuits got the go ahead hit in the top of the ninth to grab a 2-1 lead and that held up as the final score. Montgomery stranded 11 men to the Lookouts 8. The Biscuits were 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position while Chattanooga went 0-for-10.
Both managers had squabbles with home plate umpire Garrett Patterson . After Mike Gonzales was called out on strikes in the bottom the ninth. manager Doug Mientkiewicz and coach Neil Allen pointed fingers and had words with the ump. Allen was ejected from the game. Mientkiewicz was still steaming after the game ended.
Montgomery manager Brady Williams has words with umpire Garrett Patterson.
Chattanooga was out hit 11 to 6 in the game.
Twins' top prospects Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano each went 0-for-4, while clean up batter Travis Harrison and designated hitter Mike Gonzales also were 0-for-4. Buxton did score his league leading 25th run of the season in the first inning on a Adam Brett Walker bases loaded walk.
Richie Shaffer's RBI-single in the ninth came with two outs off Madison Boer. The single drove home Tommy Coyle who led off the inning with a single.
Box
The teams return to action Monday morning with an 11:15 game. The early morning affair will feature two of the league's brightest pitching prospects as RHP Jose Berrios (4-1, 2.60) takes on LHP Blake Snell (2-0, 0.00).
Max Kepler who went 2-for-2 is now hitting .325.
photo by Tim Evearitt