Ryan Walker's triple was his third of the season.
photo by Tim Evearitt
The Lookouts season record fell to .500 and they are 5 1/2 out of first place and four games behind second place Montgomery after losing 3-1 to Birmingham Saturday in front of 6,185 fans at Regions Field.
After Mitch Garver and Niko Goodrrum, two of their better hitters were called up to Triple-A Rochester, on Saturday Rochester added starting pitchers David Hurlbut and Omar Bencomo, plus reliever Jake Reed. The Red Wings roster was down to just 22, so they needed help.
In Saturday's game, Kohl Stewart struggled with control and fell to 6-6 with a 3.25 ERA with the loss. The right-hander gave up three runs on four hits and five walks in 4 2/3 innings on the mound. He also hit two batters. He struck out three.
Trey Michalczewski, the White Sox No. 7 prospect, scored Brett Lawrie for Birmingham's first run with an RBI double in the first inning.
Barons' hitter Chris O'Dowd came through with the decisive runs, slugging a two-run double off the wall in right field to break a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning. Lawrie, on a rehab assignment from the Chicago White Sox, scored along with Michalczewski.
Lawrie, who has started 94 games with Chicago this season, finished 2-for-3 with a double and a HBP in addition to his two runs. Saturday was his first Southern League game since the 2010 season when he was a member of the Huntsville Stars.
Chattanooga's Alan Busenitz came into the game with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth and allowed two of the three runners to core. He gave up two hits and struck out one in 1.1 innings.
Mason Melotakis struck out three in a scoreless seventh inning and Raul Fernandez worked a perfect eighth inning.
The Lookouts managed just five hits in the game. Ryan Walker hit his third triple. Jairo Rodriguez hit his first double. Zach Granite had a single and added to his league-leading stolen base total with this 41st steal.
Box
The Barons and Lookouts meet again Sunday afternoon at Regions Field for the fourth game of the series. Game time is 4:00 p.m. ET.
After Tuesday's off-day, the Lookouts return to action at AT&T Field in downtown Chattanooga at 7:15 p.m. to open a crucial series with second-place Montgomery.
Saturday's loss dropped Kohl Stewart's record to 6-6.
photo by Tim Evearitt