For the second consecutive day outfielder Bobby Coyle Jr. delivered a crucial hit, this time slugging a go-ahead two-run double in the fifth inning to propel the Chattanooga Lookouts (42-69) over the Birmingham Barons (51-61) by a score of 6-3 in front of a sellout crowd of 6,371 on Used Car Night.
Before Coyle Jr.'s clutch hit, the Lookouts found themselves up one run when they scored the first run of the game on a RBI double by Walter Ibarra. The hit was Ibarra's second in a Lookouts' uniform and first of the year.
Up one run, Lookouts' starting pitcher Matt Shelton (W, 3-3) stymied the Barons' offense retiring 10 straight batters after allowing two hits in the first inning. In the fifth inning Grant Buckner led off the inning with a double and was brought home on a Jeremy Dowdy single. The Barons then took the lead on a Chris Curley groundout.
Trailing for the first time all game the Lookouts' offense responded immediately with Ibarra's second hit of the day, a single up the middle. With two outs, Darnell Sweeney drew a walk to put two runners on for Coyle Jr.
After the two-run double, the Lookouts continued to add to their lead, scoring two in the seventh on an O'Koyea Dickson two-run single and one in the eighth on a RBI groundout by Ibarra.
Birmingham attempted a rally in the ninth and scored one run to cut the team's lead down to three, but Jarrett Martin was able to close the door on their opponent for Chattanooga's second straight win.
Sunday, the Lookouts will aim for their third win in a row with LHP Chris Reed (4-8, 3.32) taking the mound against RHP Chris Bassitt (0-0, 0.00) on Dogs on the Diamond Day presented by PAWright Pet Services. First pitch is set for 2:15 p.m.