Darnell Sweeney's two-out two-run ninth inning double gave the Lookouts what appeared to be a safe lead.
photo by Tim Evearitt
The Birmingham Barons walked-off with a 6-5 win over the Chattanooga Lookouts Monday in front of 3,495 fans at Regions Field. After rallying to capture the lead, the Lookouts committed two costly errors that sent the game into extra innings. The Barons won the game on a bases-loaded walk in the tenth inning.
The Lookouts have fallen to third place, 4.0 games behind the division leading Smokies.
Current Standings
Chattanooga took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning against Barons starter Mike Recchia on a base hit by Corey Seager that scored Scott Schebler from second and Daniel Mayora from first base after Jason Coats overran the ball in right field.
The Barons scored twice in the fourth inning on a Dan Black double that scored Chris Curley from first after center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker misplayed the ball.
Black would score later in the inning on a Jason Coats sacrifice fly, tying the game at 2-2.
Recchia settled in after the rough first inning and finished with nine strikeouts and just four hits allowed over 6.0 IP.
The game remained knotted into the eighth inning where Adam Heisler led off the inning with an infield base hit and went to third on a pickoff throwing error by reliever Daniel Coulombe. Heisler would score the go-ahead run a batter later on a base hit by Chris Curley through a drawn-in infield, giving the Barons their first lead at 3-2.
Down to their last strike, the Lookouts rallied to retake the lead at 5-3, getting a two-out two run double by Darnell Sweeney against reliever Parker Frazier. Angel Sanchez added a key insurance run with an RBI double capping a three-run inning.
The Barons mounted a rally of their own in the ninth, aided by two errors from the Lookouts. With the bases loaded and two-outs, pinch hitter Martin Medina lined a two-run single up the middle against reliever Juan Gonzalez, tying the game at 5-5.
The game would head to extra-innings where the Barons loaded the bases against reliever Anthony Slama (0-2, 10.13) in the tenth and scored the winning run on a walk to Michael Earley.
Chattanooga has fallen to 26-29 in the second half.
Box
The Barons will look to extend their winning streak to a season-best six gamesTuesday night as RHP David Cales (2-1, 4.53) takes the hill against RHP Freddie Cabrera (0-0, 0.79). First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 PM.
Notes: The Lookouts have committed 26 errors in the month of August. Chattanooga has 178 errors in 125 games. The Southern League record for errors in one season is 240 in 147 games by Nashville in 1984.