Not even a 65-minute rain delay can dampen the fun the Chattanooga Lookouts currently are experiencing.
The Lookouts clinched their fourth consecutive series Sunday afternoon at AT&T Field by sloshing through the Jacksonville Suns 7-2. Chattanooga has scored 38 runs in its last five outings and has gone a season-high eight consecutive games tallying five or more runs.
"We're starting to get a little more selective, and we're starting to figure out some things that we're capable of doing and some things we can't," Lookouts hitting coach Franklin Stubbs said. "We're getting better pitches to hit and are not just up there swinging."
Chattanooga improved to 3-1 in the Southern League's second half and 38-36 overall.
The Lookouts scored four runs in the third inning, opening with Matt Wallach's single to right, a walk to Will Savage, Alfredo Silverio's two-run triple into the left-field corner and Elian Herrera's RBI bloop single to left. Scott Van Slyke's one-out double to center scored Herrera to make it 4-1.
Jacksonville pulled within 4-2 in the sixth when Jim Negrych led with a single to center and scored on Ben Lasater's one-out sacrifice, but the Lookouts answered later that inning on Travis Denker's leadoff home run to left. It was the second homer in as many nights for Denker, who joined the Lookouts from high Single-A Rancho Cucomonga last Monday.
Van Slyke went 3-for-4 to pace Chattanooga's 11-hit attack, but five different Lookouts drove in runs.
"Scott was really carrying the team almost by himself for a while this season," Wallach said. "Then Silverio started getting hot and Kyle was playing well, but it was mainly those three guys. Everyone else is doing our part now, and when you start hitting, it gets contagious.
"It's so much more fun, because you get a high-five every time when you're getting hits, and now you're doing that when the others are coming in. It's just better when you can get that carousel going."
Threatening skies arrived in the seventh inning, but the Lookouts erupted for three runs on a double and four singles before the game was halted.
Van Slyke raised his average to .321, which matches Silverio for the team high. Might a friendly contest be looming?
"Obviously you want to compete because it makes you better, but nobody is thinking about that," Van Slyke said.
Michael Antonini (4-8, 3.70) is scheduled to start tonight's 7:15 series finale for the Lookouts.