Chattanooga Lookouts slugger Andrew Lambo hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th late Saturday night.
Facing Mississippi Braves reliever Brett Butts, Lambo led off the 11th with a walk and two batters later moved to third on Tommy Giles' single to right field. Victor Mercedes was intentionally walked to load the bases and set up the double play. Instead, Joe Becker ripped the first pitch he saw up the third-base line to lift the Lookouts to a 5-4 win.
An announced crowd of 5,296 attended the game at AT&T Field, though no more than a third of them remained after the ninth inning.
J.D. Durbin pitched 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Lookouts (29-39), allowing just one hit, a double by Mississippi's Matt Young with one out in the 11th. Young then stole third but was stranded.
Lookouts starter James Adkins, a Nashville native and former University of Tennessee pitcher, allowed four runs on seven hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings against the Braves (31-38), who were in command before Lambo tied the game at 4 with his homer in the sixth.
Mississippi not only got a solid start from Jeff Lyman -- he allowed a run on two hits in five innings, with two walks and three strikeouts -- but the right-hander also got two hits, including an RBI double in the second inning that gave the Braves the lead.
The Lookouts jumped in front in the bottom of the first. Justin Sellers singled to center field, and two batters later Josh Bell slapped an RBI triple into the gap in right-center field.
Nine walks contributed to the Lookouts' 8-1 loss to the Braves on Friday, and the free passes hurt again in the second inning Saturday. Three walks (one intentional) loaded the bases for Lyman in the ninth spot, and the pitcher delivered a line-drive double to right that scored a pair of runs.
The Braves got two more in the fourth for their 4-1 lead.
The San Diego Chicken, who had the crowd of laughing between innings -- and sometimes during -- held a sign that read "Employee of the Month" in the bottom of the sixth after Lambo cleared the fence in right field against reliever Kevin Gunderson.
Sellers led off with a single and Bell later doubled, setting the table for Lambo. The Lookout's best inning in three games continued with two walks, which ended Gunderson's outing.
Former Rhea County standout Cory Gearrin came in and got an easy flyout from pinch-hitter Russ Mitchell to end the inning. Gearrin retired all four batters he faced.
Adkins was assigned to the Lookouts on Saturday from the Ogden Raptors, and right-hander Tim Corcoran was placed on the seven-day disabled list.
Kendy Batista (2-0, 2.40 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Lookouts in today's 2:15 p.m. game, with Edgar Osuna (2-1, 5.00) slated to pitch for the Braves.
John Frierson is in his fifth year at the Times Free Press and fifth year covering University of Tennessee at Chattanooga athletics. The bulk of his time is spent covering Mocs football, but he also writes about women’s basketball and the big-picture issues and news involving the athletic department. A native of Athens, Ga., John grew up a few hundred yards from the University of Georgia campus. Instead of becoming a Bulldog he attended Ole ...
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