LookoutsThe suddenly-hot Chattanooga Lookouts did not disappoint the second-largest crowd of the season Sunday night with a come-from-behind 6-4 win over Pensacola. The Lookouts' (22-27) sixth consecutive win, in front of 5,286 fans on a picturesque spring night at AT&T Field, featured yet another highlight-reel game from star prospect Yasiel Puig.
Puig's two-run double to straight-away centerfield tied the game at 4 in the sixth. Then, after Ozzie Martinez followed with a go-ahead RBI single, Puig made the defensive play of the game. With a runner on first and two out, Pensacola's Ryan LaMarre stroked a Luis Vasquez pitch to deep right field. Puig reacted quickly and raced straight back before hauling the ball in over his shoulder to end the threat.
Joc Pederson added some insurance by singling in Rafael Ynoa for a 6-4 lead in the seventh, his second hit of the night. Reliever Vasquez (3-2) earned the win with 2 2/3 innings of one-hit, four-strikeout relief, while Yimi Garcia earned his league-tying 10th save by going the final 1 2/3 innings, retiring all five batters he faced.
The Lookouts earlier had solo home runs from Ynoa -- his first of the season -- in the first inning and just-promoted first baseman Angelo Songco in the second. Martinez joined Pederson with two hits, while Puig's two RBIs move him to fourth in the Southern League.
Josh Smith (3-5) took the loss for the Blue Wahoos (16-31), who managed just five hits off four Chattanooga pitchers.
Steve Smith, making his first start for the Lookouts after being assigned from Albuquerque, allowed four runs on four hits and settled down after a rough start that saw the Blue Wahoos score twice in the first on LaMarre's sacrifice fly and Tucker Barnhart's RBI single. Smith was pulled in the fifth after a one-out double by Bryson Smith and a walk. Vasquez, after striking out Devin Lohman, issued a pair of two-out walks, scoring one, before balking in another run for a 4-2 Pensacola lead.
The Lookouts wrap up their homestand with Pensacola tonight at 7:15 before beginning a five-game series at Mobile on Tuesday.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.