Ryan Walker's two-run homer in the first inning provided the only runs the Lookouts would need.
photo by Tim Evearitt
The Chattanooga Lookouts pitching staff combined to only allow three hits in nine innings in the team's 4-0 shutout win over the Jacksonville Suns.
Lookouts starter Omar Bencomo (4-6) earned the win as he pitched a season-high seven scoreless innings where he only allowed two hits with a walk and five strikeouts. The righty held the Suns hitless for four innings until surrrending a hit to Brian Anderson in the fifth.
Suns starter Patrick Johnson (6-7) took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
In the eighth inning Raul Fernandez trotted out to the mound to take over for Bencomo and recorded a shutout inning.
Ryan Eades followed Fernandez and also shutdown the Jacksonville bats to clinch the shutout.
Chattanooga's pitching was superb, but the team would not have gotten the win without some power from their bats.
The Lookouts struck quickly against Johnson in the bottom of the first. The first pitch from Johnson was hit by Zack Granite for a double, then the next pitch to Ryan Walker was hit out of the ballpark to right field, a two-run homer that gave the Lookouts a 2-0 lead.
Two innings later, Niko Goodrum hit a two-run homer to right field to grow the Lookouts lead to 4-0, which would be the final score.
Suns' shortstop J.T. Riddle saw his 25-game hitting streak come to an end, going 0-for-4 with three groundouts to second base and a strikeout. Riddle hit .370 in his streak, the longest in the Southern League this season and the longest in the Marlins era of Suns history from 2009-present.
The four-run win gives the Lookouts their 58th win of the year.
The defending 2015 Southern League champions remain a game and a half-game behind the Montgomery Biscuits for second place in the North Division as the season winds down.
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Monday Kids Eat Free at AT&T Field! Game time for another spectacular Kids Eat Free Monday is 7:15 p.m.
David Hurlbut was be the Lookouts starting pitcher in the fourth game of the series.
Manager Doug Mientkiewicz congratulates Niko Good run on his two-run shot in the third.
photo by Tim Evearitt