Criswell Goes Distance As Pandas Beat Lookouts 5-2

Byrd Tenerowicz had run far into foul territory and was tracking the ball against the dark night sky. Shortstop Jose Barrero was running step for step with them, the two of them drifting past the third base line to find the ball. The two met at the wall and both had a chance to snatch it out of the air and secure the third and final out with the bases loaded in the eighth inning.

 

Tenerowicz stuck out his glove to make the catch, but it appeared as if he and Barrero had gotten too close and impeded each other from positioning themselves for a catch.

The ball fell harmlessly to the ground after the embarrassing gaffe. It was that kind of night for the Lookouts, who blew an early two run lead and fell 5-2 to the Rocket City Trash Pandas.  

 

Starting righthander Ricky Salinas cruised through the first inning, needing only twelve pitches to induce a Gavin Cecchini flyout to center, a Dalton Pompey strikeout, and an Orlando Martinez pop-up. On the other side was fellow righthander Cooper Criswell, who did not fare quite as well. Jose Barrero led off the inning with a walk, and then dove into second to steal another base. Lorenzo Cedrola got him home when the right fielder doubled a ball into right, the ball skimming across the grass long enough to get Barrero in standing up.

 

A few batters later, catcher and Olympian Mark Kolozsvary belted a single back into that worn out spot in right field. Cedrola strolled across the plate and gave Salinas a 2-0 lead going into the second inning. Salinas worked through the second inning almost as easily as the first, relying on guile to get more flyouts and popups while only surrendering one hit. His third inning was more of the same, forcing three straight harmless flyouts to retire the side in order.    

 

The Lookouts failed to add onto their lead for a while after that and kept the game within reach. Criswell settled down after his rough first inning and began to induce grounders and flyouts like a hurler from the pre-three true outcomes era of baseball.

 

Salinas finally faced some pressure in the top of the fourth inning. The powerful Martinez drove a grounder into left and got on base, and then advanced to second on a balk. With only one out, the Trash Pandas finally had a runner in scoring position. Martinez skipped into third on a wild pitch, and Izzy Wilson came up to bat and could have gotten his 26th RBI of the season.

 

Instead of trying to fire a fastball past Wilson, Salinas went to an offspeed offering instead. Rather than 92 MPH heat, the Lookouts’ starter took a little off his toss and had Wilson swinging at air on an 84 MPH breaking pitch. The crowd of 2,446 cheered in approval as he jogged off the field.

 

Ray-Patrick Didder drove up Salinas’ pitch count in the top of the fifth when he fouled off four consecutive pitches in a marathon of a nine pitch at bat. Salinas struck him out swinging after what seemed to be an eternity, and would have gotten out of the inning had third-baseman Tenerowicz been able to dig a grounder out of his glove in the next at bat. Luis Aviles’ ensuing swinging strikeout nullified this though, and the Lookouts entered the bottom of the fifth still leading 2-0. Even though he got many of his early outs via flyouts, he ended the night with eight strikeouts.

 

Orlando Martinez hit three home runs in an earlier matchup with the Lookouts, and reminded the Lookouts that he still possessed major league power in the top of the sixth. He took Salinas’ pitch deep over the right field wall, bringing his teammate across the plate with him and tying the game at 2-2. After Izzy Wilson blasted a ball into the centerfield wall, the Lookouts’ pitching staff ran to the mound and spoke to his starter. That chat proved ineffective when Salinas plunked Isbandel Isabel a few seconds later.

 

Manager Ricky Gutierrez pulled him for 24 year old righthander Miguel Figueroa. The reliever loaded the bases when he walked Didder after inheriting two runners with two outs. Figueroa came right back and got Michael Cruz to swing at a pitch in the dirt to end the inning with the score still tied.  

 

 Lookout right hander Julio Pinto loaded the bases with a walk in the eighth with no outs, his cause not helped when Izzy Wilson reached first on a Brian Rey throwing error that led first baseman Yoel Yanqui off the bag. In came Puerto Rican righty Alexis Diaz to get Chattanooga out of the jam.

 

Diaz spiked a ball into the dirt against Didder, and the ball bounced past Kolozsvary while Mitch Nay sprinted in from third to give the Trash Pandas the lead. After Didder walked, another pitch got away from Kolozsvary (deemed a passed ball) and in came another run. After Michael Cruz was intentionally walked, Diaz continued to throw balls away and into the dirt. Dalton Pompey walked to drive in another run, and the inning ended at 5-2.

 

While the Lookouts pitching imploded in the late innings, Criswell was dominant after giving up those early runs. He went the distance and gave up six hits, and walked only one batter while befuddling the Lookouts all night. Criswell ended his night by getting Yanqui to fly out to center, Koloszvary to strike out swinging, and Brian Rey to fly out. The two teams play again tomorrow at 7:15. 

 

TRASH PANDAS:          0/0/0/0/0/2/0/3/0  -  5/6/1

LOOKOUTS:                 2/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0  -  2/5/1

 

Criswell and Cruz; Salinas, Figueroa (6), Pinto (7), Diaz (8), Lopez (9 )and Kolozsvary

 

WP: Criswell

LP: Pinto