Matt Wallach homers key 4-1 Chattanooga Lookouts win

photo Chattanooga Lookouts' Matt Wallach

Matt Wallach burst out of a July slump Friday night at AT&T Field and the Chattanooga Lookouts won another tight game - one that was called in the eighth inning.

The 4-1 victory was the Lookouts' fourth in a row, including three by three runs or less. A heavy rain had fallen for more than an inning when the game was halted in the bottom of the eighth as big bolts of lightning popped off around the stadium.

Wallach came into the game batting .091 in July and was in the No. 8 spot in the lineup when he drilled two home runs to right field, one in the first inning and the other in the eighth.

Wearing pink jerseys that will be auctioned off to support the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center at Memorial Hospital, the Lookouts (17-11) got an excellent start from pitcher Allen Webster

Webster allowed a run on five hits and struck out 10, with two walks, in six innings. Logan Bawcom pitched two innings of relief, finishing with six strikeouts and two walks.

The Lookouts beat the Smokies 4-3 on Thursday in the first game of the series, and afterward closer Steven Ames said the team was doing the little things right in the close wins.

"Early on we lost a lot of one-run games, and now we're on the other side of things," Ames said. "We're doing a lot of things well, and hopefully we've turned it all around and can keep it going."

Leadoff hitter Rafael Ynoa gave the Lookouts a 1-0 lead in the first by belting a Dae-Eun Rhee pitch off the wall in center field for a double, stealing third base and scoring on a throwing error.

In the bottom of the fifth, Jake Lemmerman reached on a throwing error - it was so wild he was able to reach second base -- and then Wallach stepped to the plate and made it 3-0 Lookouts.

Webster's roll hit a speed bump in the sixth when the Smokies (12-16) cut the lead to 3-1. Bawcom replaced him in the seventh, as dark, ominous clouds approached the stadium, and struck out the side.

Before play was stopped in the eighth, Wallach joined Kyle Russell as the only Lookouts this season with two home runs in a game.

Fans at Friday's game can use their tickets at any Lookouts game the rest of this season, subject to availability, and the postgame fireworks display will be rescheduled.

Zach Lee (0-2, 8.82 ERA) is scheduled to start on the mound tonight for the Lookouts, with Dallas Beeler (4-6, 3.84) set to go for the Smokies.

Upcoming Events