Alex Wimmers threw seven scoreless innings.
photo by Tim Evearitt
Chattanooga starting pitcher Alex Wimmers tossed six and two-thirds scoreless innings to quiet the Smokies' bats, while catcher Stuart Turner tallied a game-high three hits, including a home run while driving in two runs to lead the Lookouts to a series-clinching 7-0 shutout victory over Tennessee on Sunday evening at Smokies Stadium.
The rubber match triumph improved Chattanooga's second half record to 11-17, placing them a half game behind the Smokies for third place in the North Division standings.
Wimmers turned in the second straight strong outing by a Lookouts starter to earn his sixth win of the year. The right-hander scattered six hits and exited in the seventh with the Smokies threatening and runners at the corners.
Tennessee was kept off the scoreboard and maintained Wimmers' blank line in the runs column. Relievers Tim Shibuya and Matt Summers went the rest of the way for the Lookouts, firing the final 2 1/3 Innings of two-hit ball to preserve the shutout.
Chattanooga scored the first of their trio of two-runs in the second inning thanks to the longball. Marcus Knecht began the two-out rally by reaching on a hit by pitch, extending the inning for Turner, who blasted a two-run shot over the wall in left field for his fourth homer of the year, putting the Lookouts ahead 2-0.
That margin would double to four in the very next inning thanks to more two-out hitting. Shannon Wilkerson led off with a walk and took second on an error, while Kennys Vargas reached base on an intentional walk bringing up Travis Harrison, who smashed a two-run base hit to right to plate both Wilkerson and Vargas to increase the advantage to 4-0.
Three innings later, Chattanooga's cushion grew to six. Turner and Niko Goodrum began the inning with back-to-back free passes and then advanced 90 feet on a groundout, before Turner came across via Wilkerson's run-scoring base knock to right to increase the lead to 5-0. The second of the two tallies would subsequently score when Vargas drew a bases-loaded walk to up the lead to 6-0.
The Lookouts would add insurance runs with single tallies in the next two frames to cap the scoring.
Knecht and Turner got aboard via consecutive singles to begin the seventh prior to Knecht scampered around to came plateward from second via a Smokies error, one of five on the evening, to increase Chattanooga's margin to 7-0. Walker then in the eighth slammed a triple that one-hopped the center field wall, and would later score on the play thanks to the fifth Smokies error of the contest to increase the lead to eight.
Turner (3-for-4) was the only Lookouts batter to record a multi-hit effort with his three hits.
Box
Following an off day Monday, the Lookouts return to AT&T Field to open a five-game series with Pensacola. Game time is 7:15 p.m.
Stuart Turner had three hits, including a home run.
photo by Tim Evearitt