The Lookouts rallied from behind in the bottom of the ninth on Michael Beltre's game-winning base hit.
photo by Tim Evearitt
The Chattanooga Lookouts opened second-half play with a 10-9 win over the Birmingham Barons at AT&T Field
A walk-off single from outfielder Michael Beltre led the Chattanooga Lookouts to victory.
After Birmingham scored a pair in the top half of the ninth to knot the game at 9-9, Gavin LaValley led off the inning with his 11th double of the season.
Narcisco Crook then moved LaValley to third base on a sac fly, before Beltre guided a 2-2 pitch into center field to send the crowd home happy.
The Barons started the game off hot, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the opening frame thanks to a pair of RBI doubles from Luis Gonzales & Luis Basabe.
Chattanooga would cut away at the deficit though with a run in the first and two more in the third inning, before a five-run fifth inning gave them their first lead of the night.
With a man on and two out, the Lookouts got two straight hits and a pair of walks to bring Mitch Nay to the plate with the bases loaded. He would go on to hit a bases-clearing, three-run double to give the Lookouts an 8-5 advantage.
Birmingham was quick to cut into the lead thanks to two runs in the seventh inning, but an RBI double play from TJ Friedl in the bottom half of the inning proved crucial. The DP handed Chattanooga a 9-7 advantage moving into the ninth, which set the table for Beltre's heroics in the series opener.
Lookouts game highlights (from redsminorleagues.com)
Alfredo Rodriguez went 2-3 with 2 walks, a double, and he scored 2 runs.
Mitch Nay went 2-4 with a double, run scored, and he had 4 RBI.
Ibandel Isabel went 1-4 with a double, walk, and he scored a run.
Tyler Stephenson went 1-4 with an RBI.
Brantley Bell went 1-5 with a run scored.
Gavin LaValley went 1-5 with a double and a run scored.
Narciso Crook went 3-5 with a double and 2 runs scored.
Michael Beltre went 4-5 with a run scored and he had an RBI.
Ty Boyles threw 1.1 perfect innings with a strikeout.
The two teams are back at it on Fireworks Friday, as LHP Packy Naughton (2-3, 2.63 ERA) takes the mound for Chattanooga opposite LHP Tanner Banks (1-4, 2.96).