Lookouts: Navarro flashes speed in victory

photo Lookouts second baseman Jaime Pedroza (6) dives but misses a catch while playing against the Huntsville Stars during Wednesday's afternoon game at AT&T Field. The Lookouts won 3-1. Staff Photo by Dan Henry/Chattanooga Times Free Press

Former All-Star catcher Dioner Navarro has 10 stolen bases in seven major league seasons.

He swiped two bases on Wednesday while making a rehabilitation start with the Lookouts in Chattanooga's 3-1 win over the Huntsville Stars on Wednesday.

"That's the first time, and last time, I'll do that in my career," said Navarro, who snatched the bases without a throw from Huntsville catcher Dayton Buller. "[Manager Carlos] Subero, he gave me the sign."

Navarro injured an oblique muscle on March 24 in a Dodgers' spring training game and has been healing and played in a few extended spring training games recently. Neither he, nor Subero, know how long he'll be with the Lookouts. It's at least one more day.

"I feel good overall," said Navarro, who earned his All-Star status with the American League champion Rays in 2008. "My timing is a little off, and that's what I'm here. I feel like I'm a little too early or two late on pitches, and that's why I'll give it another day and hopefully get better each day."

He helped them win on Wednesday which was the first businessman's special of the season and had a crowd of 2,164 including award-winning students.

Navarro went 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and the two stolen bases. He also blocked the plate and applied the tag for the first out in the critical seventh inning. He finished the frame as the middle part of a third to home to first double-play which sank the Stars.

"He'll finish his rehab and be ready for the big leagues," Subero said. "It's not like it's his first game. It's nice to have him here. We don't know how long we'll have him."

Navarro helped Lookouts starter Will Savage toss six shut-out innings and earn the win. Savage struck out six, allowed four hits and one walk - a stark improvement from the five runs over four innings he allowed in his season debut.

"Whatever pitch he put down there I had a lot of confidence in, I mean, he's an All-Star," Savage said. "Anytime you get a chance to throw to a guy like that, it's special. I shook him off a couple times, but it was rare."

Scott Van Slyke provided Savage with a 1-0 lead in the second inning when he hit the pitch speed sign in left field.

"I missed the first fastball [Jesus Sanchez] threw me," Van Slyke said, "But I didn't miss the second."

Huntsville loaded the bases off reliever Justin Miller before he induced the dribbler back to him and the double-play from pinch hitter Chuck Caufield.

The Lookouts added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh on a fielder's choice by Elian Herrera and an bloop single by Navarro who smiled in the clubhouse after the Lookouts' victory.

"It's good to see him healthy," Subero said. "That experience back there helped us."

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