Alex Wimmers
photo by Tim Evearitt
Starting pitcher Alex Wimmers only allowed three hits in six innings, but the Chattanooga Lookouts (13-12) ended up dropping game one to the Jackson Generals (11-12), 4-3.
Inning-by-inning game recap.
Wimmers surrendered one of his two earned runs early in the contest, giving up a double to Gabby Guerrero and a sacrifice fly to Carlton Tanabe.
Down one run the Lookouts' bats sprung to life in the bottom of the second inning. Back-to-back doubles by Travis Harrison and Adam Brett Walker II knotted the game up at one. Max Kepler then stepped up to the plate and moved Walker to third on a single. An error by the Generals on the next play brought Walker home and gave the Lookouts the 2-1 lead.
Jackson scored another run to tie the game up in the top of the third, but Wimmers shut down the Generals after that.
The righty finished the day striking out seven batters. The seven strikeouts is the most he has recorded in a game since May 16 of last season when he fanned eight Daytona Cubs as a member of the Fort Myers Miracle.
Still tied in the seventh inning the Generals broke the game open with a two-run double by Dario Pizzano.
Chattanooga began to rally in the bottom of the inning when Max Kepler singled and Suart Turner walked to put two runners on with no outs. Both runners advanced one base on a sacrifice bunt by Stephen Wickens and squeezed across a run on a Byron Buxton groundout.
The rally ended there, however, as the team's offense could not muster any more runs. Generals' pitcher Matt Anderson recorded an inning ending double play in the ninth to pick up his fourth save of the year.
The Lookouts aim to rebound from the game one defeat tomorrow with RHP Tyler Duffey (1-2, 3.11) starting against LHP Misael Sivero (1-0, 2.11). Gates for Thirsty Thursday open at 6:00 pm with first pitch set for 7:15 pm.
Max Kepler went 2-for-4.
photo by Tim Evearitt