Lookouts Fall To Birmingham Thursday, 5-1.

Birmingham, Al. - -  All good things must come to an end, so the saying goes, and for the Lookouts it was their six game winning streak. In the first of five games at Birmingham Thursday, Chattanooga fell to the Barons, 5-1.

The Lookouts remain in first place in the Southern League North Division by 3 1/2 games. Tennessee lost to Jacksonville Thursday, 5-2. 

Inning-by-inning game recap.

Byron Buxon remained hot, going 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and another triple, his twelfth of the year. The recently returned Jorge Polanco was back in the lineup and was 1-for-4 with a walk. Miguel Sano bopped a home run, his eleventh, and Max Kepler was 2-for-4 with a double. With all of those players doing their job, it is surprising that the Lookouts managed only to score one run. But the bottom of the lineup really hurt them on Thursday. The six through nine hitters were a combined 0-for-14 with four strikeouts.   .

Max Kepler, who has been battling a hitting slump, had two hits, including a double.

LHP Brett Lee was cruising through six scoreless innings until he ran into a seventh inning buzzsaw.

In the seventh, Lee walked the leadoff hitter, who was then sacrificed over. After that, with one out, Lee gave up back-to-back-to-back singles and was replaced by Cole Johnson with runners on second and third, but only two runs in. Johnson gave up a single and a double to the next two hitters, allowing both inherited runners, plus one of his own, to score. Johnson then pitched a scoreless eighth, but the damage was done.

Despite a dazzling one-run, seven-strikeout outing for starter Barons' Myles Jaye, it was Raul Fernandez who picked up the win in relief. Fernandez threw two shutout innings and was the pitcher on record when the offense put up its runs.

Birmingham starter Myles Jaye went seven shutout innings.

Outfielder Chris Marrero and second baseman Joey DeMichele each posted two hits and two RBI in the four-run win. Shortstop Chris Curley was 1-for-4 and responsible for the game's final run batted in.

The Barons erased the 1-0 Chattanooga advantage immediately following the seventh inning stretch. Catcher Adrian Nieto reached on a fielder's choice and third baseman Jeremy Farrell singled to left to board two. Outfielder Keenyn Walker loaded the bases with an infield single, and all-star second baseman DeMichele put Birmingham ahead 2-1 with a two-RBI single to left. Curly singled home Walker, and the youngest Marrero brother plated two with a fly ball double to left.

Box

The two teams are back at it Friday night at 8:05 p.m. for the second game of the series. White Sox No. 6 prospect Tyler Danish (4-2, 3.92 ERA) gets the start after missing his scheduled slot Wednesday in Tennessee, and RHP Alex Wimmers (3-1, 5.58 ERA) is set to go for Chattanooga.

Note: The Twins made the following transactions on Friday, June 12.

- D.J. Johnson was assigned to Fort Myers Miracle from Chattanooga Lookouts.

- Brandon Peterson assigned to Chattanooga Lookouts from Fort Myers Miracle.