There are just times when you have to keep believing.
Such was the case for the Chattanooga Lookouts on Saturday night at AT&T Field when they rallied from an 8-4 deficit after eight innings to win, 9-8, over the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
It’s been a tough month so far and things haven’t exactly gone Chattanooga’s way, but things were a little different this last time out as they never lost the faith, they never lost hope and they were finally rewarded with an improbable comeback victory.
The Lookouts are now 7-19 for the second half while Rocket City is now 13-13.
Chattanooga now has a 3-2 lead in this series, which is supposed to wrap up on Sunday afternoon, weather permitting.
Matt McLain, one of Cincinnati’s top minor-league prospects, was the hero in Saturday’s win as it was his double to deep center with the bases loaded that drove in the winning run.
“I was just trying to hit it hard. I was in a similar situation last night and didn’t get the job done, so it feels good to come through tonight,” McLain said following the victory.
With the count at two balls and a strike, McLain got a fast ball from southpaw Luke Murphy and he hit it hard, driving it over the head of center fielder Jordyn Adams.
The Rocket City outfield was drawn in at the time, but the fans at AT&T Field erupted in jubilation after the ball bounced to the wall and the Lookouts scored the final three runs to win.
“I hit the ball really hard, but I wasn’t sure it would get over his head, but I was really happy when I saw that it did. This was a great comeback for us and a big win as Rocket City has an outstanding team,” the 22-year-old infielder added.
Daniel Vellojin popped to short to start the inning before pinch hitter Leonardo Rivas got hit by a pitch. Elly De La Cruz reached on a Rocket City error before Alex McGarry walked to load the bases.
T.J. Hopkins then drove in the first run with a single to left while Michael De Leon followed with another single to left to drive in De La Cruz to make it 8-6.
Michael Siani had been inserted as a pinch runner for De Leon at first and he scored the winning run without a throw following McLain’s big blow.
Chattanooga had taken a 2-0 lead in the second when a sacrifice fly by Allan Cerda drove in the first run and a single from Vellojin drove in the second.
The Trash Pandas then took the lead with four runs in the third, the biggest blow being a two-run double by Sonny DiChiara.
The Lookouts made it 4-3 with a single run in the third before a two-run homer from Ryan Aguilar extended the lead to 6-3.
De La Cruz ripped his second home run of the season for the Lookouts with one out in the fifth to make it 6-4 before Rocket City added two more runs without a hit in the eighth.
Pedro Garcia, the fifth pitcher used by the Lookouts, allowed a leadoff single to Bryce Teodosio in the ninth before retiring the next three hitters without any more runs scoring.
He earned the win and is now 2-1 for the season.
Luke Murphy took the loss after allowing McLain’s big hit and is now 6-2 for the season.
Hopkins and De Leon both had three hits for the Lookouts while De La Cruz and McLain both had two.
Kevin Maitan had three hits for the Trash Pandas while DiChiara and Teodosio both had two.
Evan Kravetz, a hard-throwing 6-7 southpaw who was just promoted to Chattanooga earlier in the week, earned his money in the seventh.
Jeremiah Jackson and Maitan both doubled and DiChiara walked to load the bases with nobody out, but Kravetz struck out Adams and Teodosio before ending the inning with a grounder to third from Livan Soto to escape without any runs scoring.
ROCKET CITY 004 200 020 – 8 11 2
CHATTANOOGA 021 010 005 – 9 12 3
Kerry, Dashwood (6), Torres (8), Murphy (9) and Humphreys; Salazar, Keys (4), Kravetz (6), Branche (8), Garcia (9) and Vellojin.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)