Chris Reed was tagged with his 10th loss of the season
photo by Tim Evearitt
KODAK, Tenn. - With only 18 games remaining to be played, the Lookouts continued to slump falling to the Smokies Wednesday, 6-2. The Lookouts' magic number for elimination is already at five games.
Inning-by-inning Recap of the game.
Chattanooga (16-35) scored early on Tennessee starter Dae-Eun Rhee when Miguel Rojas scored on a Rafael Ynoa RBI-single in the second inning giving the Lookouts the lead, 1-0.
The front of the Lookouts batting order did its job. Rafael Ynoa went 3-for-5 while Joc Pederson and Brian Cavazos-Galvez were 2-for-5. Chattanooga could only score twice in 10 times with runners in scoring position.
The Smokies answered right back, scoring twice in the third inning. Matt Szczur singled with one out and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Arismendy Alcantara. RBI-hits by Javier Baez and Justin Bour gave the Smokies a 2-1 lead after three.
Tennessee added to their lead in the fourth inning when Javier Baez hit a two-out, bases loaded double to score John Andreoli and Rafael Lopez and give the Smokies a 4-1 lead. With Alcantara now at third and Bour at the plate with a 1-0 count, Alcantara sprinted home and slid underneath the tag for his 27th stolen base of the season and give Tennessee a 5-1 advantage.
Rhee (4-1) would later surrender another run the seventh and finished the night allowing two runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out two in 6.1 innings of work.
In the Smokies' seventh, Christian Villanueva roped a double to center field, scoring Alcantara from second to give Tennessee some insurance, 6-2.
Relievers Tony Zych and Fran Batista closed out the game for the Smokies going the final 2.2 innings allowing a combined two hits while striking out five.
Lookouts starter, lefty Chris Reed, gave up 5 runs over 4.0 innings. He gave up seven hits, walked 4 and struck out four.
Tennessee and Chattanooga will continue their five-game set on Thursday at 7:15 p.m. at Smokies Park. The Lookouts will start RHP Zach Lee (9-9, 3.10) and the Smokies will counter with righty Nick Struck (0-1, 9.00).