Jonthan Rodriguez, who went 2-for-4, belted two home runs Wednesday.
photo by Tim Evearitt
PEARL, Miss. -- Jonathan Rodriguez hit two home runs as the Chattanooga Lookouts defeated the Mississippi Braves 5-1 on Wednesday. After already winning the first-half of the Southern League North Division, the Lookouts have opened the second-half in first place at 5-1.
The Lookouts put together a strong, complete game with good pitching and some timely hitting.
Chattanooga took the lead with one run in a long second inning.
Tyler Pike, Mississippi’s starter, walked four straight batters. Levi Michael’s walk drove in a run.
In the third inning, Jonathan Rodriguez hit a solo homer. With two on in the fourth inning, Rodriguez came up and launched a three-run homer to give the Lookouts a 5-0 lead.
Stephen Gonsalves gave up just one run on five hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out five. The run came on a solo homer in that seventh inning.
Gonsalves found a way to work out of some tough situations. Twice, there were two runners on with nobody out and Gonsalves worked out of it. He threw what would have been a wild pitch, but catcher Dan Rohlfing hustled back and threw to Gonsalves in time to get the runner attempting to score. Gonsalves got a big strikeout for the second out.
It was a good mix of dominating at times and working out of some tough situations as well. Gonsalves is now 4-3 with a 2.63 ERA in his eight starts since returning from the Disabled List.
Nick Anderson worked a scoreless eighth inning, and Randy Rosario worked a perfect ninth inning.
Pike (0-3) took the loss in the Southern League game after giving up two runs and two hits over 2 1/3 innings.
Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a walk and his seventh and eighth homers. Michael was 2-for-4 with a walk. Nick Gordon was 0-for-22, though he did walk three times.
Box
Roster Moves:
Infielder Dan Gamache has been released.
Ryan Eades was activated from the Disabled List.
LHP Stephen Gonsalves continues to sparkle for Chattanooga.
photo by Tim Evearitt