The Chattanooga Lookouts are ready to welcome back some normalcy.
Third baseman Jason Vosler hit three two-run home runs Wednesday to propel the Tennessee Smokies to an 8-4 win over Chattanooga before an announced crowd of 2,818 at AT&T Field. Vosler entered the game hitting .180 with one homer.
Wednesday's series finale marked the fifth game between the Lookouts (9-11) and Smokies (12-8) in a 45-hour stretch due to Saturday night's opener and Sunday's resulting doubleheader getting washed out by significant rain.
"I don't think I've done anything like this since travel ball when I was like 14 years old," Lookouts third baseman Dan Gamache said. "You've just got to have the same attitude every game. You've got to do your job."
The Lookouts and Smokies played seven-inning doubleheaders both Monday and Tuesday, which were followed by Wednesday's first scheduled morning start of the season at AT&T. Tennessee wound up winning four of the five contests, including Tuesday night's sweep in which the Lookouts failed to score, but Chattanooga's pitching staff does not appear ravaged moving forward.
Nik Turley pitched all seven innings of Tuesday night's second game, racking up 14 strikeouts in a 1-0 loss, while Fernando Romero came within an out of going the distance in Tuesday's opener, which the Smokies won 2-0.
"Your starting pitching is always a concern as far as who is going to do what," Lookouts manager Jake Mauer said. "Getting out of the back-to-back days of doubleheaders and only using three bullpen guys is definitely a positive, and hopefully we won't feel the ill effects of this too much. We'll have to figure out who's starting for us the second day in Jackson, so that may be a little bit of a scramble.
"When you're battling Mother Nature, you're never going to win."
Paul Clemens, who started the fifth game of Chattanooga's first three series, did not pitch against Tennessee and will start tonight's opener in Jackson. Kohl Stewart started Monday's opener against the Smokies and likely will start game three Saturday.
The Lookouts got some hitting in Monday afternoon to shake the rust from having two days off, but there was nothing but games and sleep once the doubleheaders began.
"It's definitely been a first for most of us," second baseman Ryan Walker said. "We've just kind of showed up and played. It reminds you of Little League or summer ball. It takes a little of the thinking out of it, which isn't too bad of a thing."
Said Mauer: "It's out of the ordinary, no doubt about it, but it's part of it, too. You have to take advantage of the time off, and you have to be smart with what's ahead."
Walker admitted he was looking forward to a nice meal out after Wednesday's game.
Gamache said he would be taking a nap.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6524.