The Chattanooga Lookouts swept the doubleheader, winning game one 8-3 and game two 3-0, over the Columbus Clingstones.
Game one marked Reds top prospect Chase Burns' Double-A debut. The right-hander lit up the radar gun, throwing 11 pitches over 100 MPH in the first inning. Burns allowed a run in the first, but settled in and finished his debut going four innings with five strikeouts and one earned run allowed.
Trailing by one, the Lookouts' offense seized the lead in the bottom of the first and didn't look back. Hector Rodriguez led off the frame with his first four hits of the evening. Edwin Arroyo and Sal Stewart then hit back-to-back singles to tie the game. Ethan O'Donnell gave the Lookouts the lead on an RBI double, and Jay Allen drove home two more for a 4-1 lead. They added three more in the second, highlighted by another O'Donnell hit, this one bringing home two runs.
In the fourth, Rodriguez blasted his first home run of the year to give the Lookouts an 8-1 lead. Rodriguez finished the day 4-for-4 and a double away from the cycle.
Lookouts reliever Brandon Komar took over for Burns in the fifth and closed out the game with three strong innings.
Game two started off similarly for the Lookouts. Rodriguez once again led off with a single and proceeded to score for the early 1-0 lead. Starting pitcher Ryan Cardona was lights out for the home squad. The right-hander fired 4.2 hitless innings before allowing a hit to Stephen Paolini. Cardona ended the day, going five innings with one hit allowed and five strikeouts.
During Cardona's hitless outing, the Lookouts' offense gave him all the help he needed. With two runners on in the third Jay Allen II struck a two-run single to bring the Lookouts' lead up to three. Simon Miller clinched the victory with a six-out save, his first of the year.
Tomorrow, the two teams play the final game of the series on a Dogs at the Diamond Day presented by PetMedic Chattanooga. First pitch is at 2:15 p.m.