Lambo lifts Lookouts

The Chattanooga Lookouts and Huntsville Stars were on pace to play all Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Andrew Lambo made sure they didn’t.

Lambo, the No. 1 prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, launched Derrick Ellison’s second-pitch fastball over the Budweiser Pavilion in right field to propel the Lookouts to a 7-6 win in 10 innings at AT&T Field. It was the first walk-off home run of his career.

“I think I’ve had a walk-off double before, but that’s about it,” Lambo said. “It’s pretty cool. I’m pretty happy. Anything to help the ball club win.”

The 20-year-old also singled, doubled and walked during his 3-for-4 day that raised his season average to .321. His homer clinched a third consecutive win for the Lookouts and the team’s first series victory in four tries.

Chattanooga improved to 6-14 overall, while Huntsville dropped to 10-10.

The Lookouts left late Wednesday afternoon for Carolina, where they will begin a series tonight against a slew of last year’s Lookouts. The Mudcats are in their first year as affiliates of the Cincinnati Reds and are scheduled to start three pitchers who were with Chattanooga last year: Travis Wood, Justin Mallett and James Avery.

“We got swept the last time we went on the road,” Lookouts manager John Valentin said, “so we want to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

The Lookouts should arrive with momentum after claiming Wednesday’s back-and-forth affair.

Lambo doubled to right in the fifth inning to score Adam Godwin and give Chattanooga a 3-2 lead, and Jamie Hoffmann followed with a single to right that made it 4-2. The Stars got within a run in the sixth and took a 5-4 lead in the eighth on Drew Anderson’s two-out, two-run double to left.

Huntsville extended its lead to 6-4 moments later when Lookouts reliever Carmen Cali hit Shane Justis with the bases loaded, but the Lookouts pulled even in the bottom of the eighth. Hoffmann doubled to left-center to score Lambo and came home in the ensuing at-bat when Gaby Martinez singled to right.

“To be able to make mistakes and almost give it away and to win in that kind of fashion shows the character of this club,” Valentin said. “Hopefully we’ll win some more games like this.”

Anderson’s two-RBI double came off Matt Sartor and took Lookouts starter James Adkins out of the decision. Adkins, who set the University of Tennessee career strikeout record at 380 before getting drafted by the Dodgers in 2007, has a 7.45 earned run average after four starts.

After two starts, his ERA was 15.95.

“We’ve tightened up on my mechanics a little bit, but the biggest thing is just going out there and throwing strikes,” Adkins said. “If you can get ahead, you can throw the pitches you want and get the hitters off balance.”

Said Valentin: “He kind of has to throw backwards. He has a very good changeup and a very good slider, and he’s got to command those two pitches so his fastball is a little sneakier.”

Jesus Castillo (0-2, 5.68 ERA) is scheduled to start tonight’s game for the Lookouts, with Dallas Buck (2-1, 3.47) scheduled for the Mudcats.