Daniel Mayora led the team with 36 hits in June and he’s started off July well, smashing four hits in the first two games this month, with three of those coming in tonight’s contest.
photo by Tim Evearitt
The game roared on like a heavyweight bout, each team punching runs on the board and the other team countering back. The final knockout blow was levied by Jared Mitchell of the Birmingham Barons (7-6) as they squeaked by the Chattanooga Lookouts (6-8) by a score of 7-6.
Birmingham scored three runs to open the floodgates in the top of the second, but the Lookouts answered back quickly. Daniel Mayora and Bobby Coyle led off the bottom of the inning with consecutive singles and O’Koyea Dickson immediately smashed a ground rule double to right-center field.
The other run of the inning was scored when Chris O’Brien flied out to left and Coyle was able to arrive at the plate before the ball did.
Josh Richmond, who participated in the Southern League Home Run Derby at Engel Stadium, took both of those runs back when he showed off his skills by tagging one off the scoreboard in the very next half-inning. The Lookouts had an answer again, as Darnell Sweeney led off the bottom of the inning with a single, followed by a Noel Cuevas double. Scott Schebler was able to hit the second sacrifice fly of the game before Mayora legged out a double to bring the score back to within one run.
It was the fifth inning when the Lookouts broke through the Barons lead when Coyle laced a double into the left-center field gap to score Cuevas and Mayora. Their 6-5 lead was short-lived, though, as Jared Mitchell smoked a 424-foot solo bomb over the right field bleachers to knot the game up and did it again two innings later to take the lead. Mitchell finished the day with two home runs and two triples and is now hitting .333 on the season.
Thursday night’s game is the last of the home stand for the Lookouts and it’s one you won’t want to miss. Come to the ballpark to celebrate America’s Independence a day early with a fantastic game and an exciting fireworks display afterwards. It’s an early 6:15 PM start, so make sure you’re not late!
Notes:
Bobby Coyle had a good night at the plate.
photo by Tim Evearitt