The Chattanooga Lookouts have been impressive in half their games this season and inept in the other half, which adds up to .500 baseball.
Thursday was one of those dreadful evenings, as Chattanooga imploded in a 10-3 loss to Mississippi at AT&T Field. The Lookouts won eight times in a nine-game stretch in mid-April, but now they have lost six of eight and are 14-14.
The Lookouts committed two errors Thursday and have 33 in 28 games.
"Lately the errors have been an issue," said first baseman Scott Van Slyke, who went 3-for-4 to raise his average to .376. "The pitching was good for a long time, and we were getting some good hitting done. It's a mix of different things right now, but we'll get it straightened out."
Mississippi starting pitcher Paul Clemens worked eight innings and allowed just one run on four hits while striking out eight.
The Lookouts played at times Thursday as if they weren't getting paid, and there is some question as to whether they will. It was reported Wednesday that the parent Los Angeles Dodgers will not meet payroll at the end of this month and that Major League Baseball may step in to make up the difference.
"We've just got to control what we're doing in here, and everything should take care of itself," Lookouts manager Carlos Subero said. "It's really something I've not heard much about, but I don't have any doubt that we'll be all right."
With two out and nobody on in the second inning, Lookouts starting pitcher Michael Antonini fielded a Jordan Kreke grounder but threw wide to first, drawing Van Slyke off the bag. Antonini hit the next batter, C.J. Retherford, before giving up a single to left field by Matt Kennelly that put the Braves (11-17) up 1-0.
Mississippi made it 2-0 in the ensuing at-bat when Van Slyke muffed a grounder by Clemens, which enabled Retherford to score from second.
Matt Wallach homered to right in the bottom of the second to pull the Lookouts within 2-1, and it stayed that way until the sixth inning, when the Braves ripped off a double and three singles to chase Antonini from the game. Clemens was a headache for the Lookouts at the plate as well, stroking an RBI double that capped a three-run sixth.
Joe Newby (0-1, 1.80 ERA) is scheduled to start tonight's 7:15 game for the Lookouts, with J.J. Hoover (0-2, 1.82) scheduled for the Braves.