It was a top of the morning for the bottom of the order.
Chattanooga's sixth through nine hitters all batted in runs Wednesday as the Lookouts held off Montgomery 6-5 at AT&T Field. That was the first of six late-morning home starts the Lookouts have scheduled this season.
"It's great to get production from the bottom half," Lookouts manager Carlos Subero said. "I think it tells you that I don't know how to make the lineup."
Scott Van Slyke, Corey Smith, Mike Rivera and Jaime Pedroza drove in runs from the bottom of the order, with Smith's ground-rule double to right-center field in the sixth inning scoring Andrew Lambo to give the Lookouts a 4-2 lead. Jaime Pedroza singled to right moments later to score Eddy Perez and make it 5-2, and Lambo's first home run of the season in the seventh gave Chattanooga a seemingly safe cushion.
The four-run bulge was reduced quickly in the ninth, however, when Lookouts relief pitcher Matt Sartor allowed a leadoff triple to Nevin Ashley and RBI doubles to former Lookouts Cody Strait and Drew Anderson. Subero replaced Sartor with Javy Guerra, who promptly gave up an RBI double to Ryan Royster.
Royster got to third on a sacrifice, but Montgomery's hopes of extra innings evaporated when Chris De La Cruz lined a bunt to Guerra, who threw to third for the double play.
The Lookouts (5-8) are within a win of taking the series, but they have allowed five or more runs in 11 consecutive games. Montgomery dropped to 7-6.
"That's how we do it in Chattanooga," Subero said. "I don't like those kinds of endings, but you just have to erase it and go back out there the next day."
Van Slyke put the Lookouts up 1-0 in the second inning on a single to right that scored Perez. They went ahead 3-1 in the fifth when Rivera's double off the wall in left-center scored Smith and Dee Gordon added a sacrifice fly to left.
"It's always nice to drive in runs, but the guys one through five have to get on in order for that to happen," Van Slyke said. "I think we're all doing a better job of recognizing pitches and getting our rhythm down. It's always a challenge that first week of the season."
The 33-year-old Rivera was playing in his first game since signing a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last weekend. The catcher has played in 181 big-league games, including 119 the past four seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Dodgers got him after Brad Ausmus got hurt and Lucas May was promoted from Chattanooga to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Ausmus was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 10 for the first time in his 17-year big-league career.
"It felt good to come in here and get a double and contribute to the team," Rivera said. "Hopefully I can work my way up, but I'm looking forward to being here and trying to help this young pitching staff."
John Koronka (0-2, 5.40 ERA) is the Lookouts' scheduled starting pitcher for tonight's 7:15 game, with David Newman (0-0, 0.82) scheduled for the Biscuits.