Leo Reginatto hit his first home run of the season over the left field wall.
photo by Tim Evearitt
The Chattanooga Lookouts hit six home runs, and right-hander Kohl Stewart pitched six shutout innings to give his team a fourth straight win, 15-1 over the Jacksonville Suns at AT&T Field Thursday. The performance earned the former first round pick his first career Double-A win.
Chattanooga (30-30) took the lead with center fielder Zack Granite's first-inning leadoff home run against Suns right-hander Patrick Johnson (2-2).
A fourth-inning leadoff home run by left fielder Travis Harrison to left field made it 2-0.
In the fifth inning, Lookouts second baseman Ryan Walker reached on a leadoff infield single, and shortstop Leo Reginatto hit his first home run of the season over the left-field wall for a 4-0 Lookouts lead.
Johnson was then removed, having allowed four earned runs on six hits - three home runs - and two walks with three strikeouts. Left-hander Chipper Smith entered for Jacksonville (26-34) to face Palka, who homered to right field to extend the lead to 5-0.
Kohl Stewart picked up his first win in the Double-A Southern League.
The Lookouts' largest rally was in the sixth inning, when Smith allowed hits to the first four batters. Catcher Jairo Rodriguez hit a two-run single, and a throwing error by shortstop J.T. Riddle scored another run, before Palka hit his second home run to right field in as many at-bats against Smith, bringing in three runs to extend the Lookouts' lead to 11-0. Palka leads the Southern League with 14 home runs.
After Stewart (1-0) pitched six shutout innings, allowing three hits and no walks with five strikeouts, Lookouts left-hander Corey Williams began the seventh inning. Third baseman Brian Anderson hit a one-out double to left field, went to third base on a wild pitch, and scored on All-Star second baseman Peter Mooney's single to center field.
Suns right-hander Hunter Adkins, who entered with one out in the sixth inning, pitched scoreless relief until the eighth inning. Two one-out singles around a walk loaded the bases for designated hitter Mitch Garver, who hit a grand slam to left field for a 15-1 Lookouts lead. Chattanooga's 15 runs, 18 hits and six home runs were all season highs by a Suns opponent.
Lookouts left-handers Mason Melotakis and Mike Strong each pitched a scoreless inning to finish the game.
The 15-runs was a season-high for the Lookouts who now begin a 10-game roadtrip to end the first half. Tomorrow, the team heads to Knoxville to face off against the Smokies.
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Third baseman Engelb Vielma slides safely into home on a close play.
photo by Tim Evearitt