Jordan Gore, who was promoted from Low-A Cedar Rapids, seems to have adjusted well to the Double-A Lookouts.
photo by Tim Evearitt
MOBILE, Ala. - - - The Lookouts were behind through the first five innings in Saturday night's game and pulled the comeback win in 11 innings with a 12-10 victory.
Lookouts manager Tommy Watkins has seen a couple of his better leadoff options promoted up to Rochester, but he may have found his new table setter. First baseman Zander Wiel hit first for Chattanooga and was 3-for-6 with a pair of doubles, a walk and scored all four times he was on base.
Brent Rooker, who hit directly behind Wiel was also 3-for-6 with two doubles and a walk. He also drove in three runs. That’s a nice one-two punch right there.
This was a crazy game. Mobile led 6-1 after the first three innings but Chattanooga managed to storm back and tie the game at 7-7 in the eighth inning. Mitchell Kranson would tie the game and the battle was on. Wiel would score in the tenth on Kranson's double but the BayBears made a comeback to tie the game.
This one went into extras, and while the Lookouts were able to score in the top of the 10th, the BayBears answered with a run of their own to send this game into the 11th.
Chattanooga responded. The Looks would use a four hit attack to put up four runs in the eleventh. Brian Olsen started the inning with his hit and Jordan Gore would sac-fly the go ahead run in. After base hits by Luis Arraez and Wiel, Rooker smacked a 400 foot double to bring in two more for the lead.
Mobile didn’t go down quietly. The BayBears could only muster two runs in the bottom of the inning and Tyler Jay shut down the attack with needed defensive help in the win.
The Lookouts were 9-for-27 with runners in scoring position. They had 17 hits and drew nine walks, so there was just constantly traffic on the bases.
Jordan Gore made the jump all the way up from Cedar Rapids earlier this month, but he’s fitting right in. Saturday he hit a triple, drove in three runs and drew three walks.
As you’d imagine by the score, there was a lot of bad pitching, but Andrew Vasquez kept rolling along. He was the first man out of the bullpen for Chattanooga and struck out five of the seven batters he faced.
Sam Clay struck out three batters in his two innings of scoreless work. It was the fifth in a row for the Lookouts and fourth in the series.
Box
The finale is today (Sunday) with the Lookouts sending Lewis Thorpe to the mound opposing Joe Gatto. Air time is set for 5:50 EDT on MiLB.com and 96.1 FM
Lewis Thorpe, a participant in the recent MLB Future's Game, gets the start in the series finale.
photo by Tim Evearitt