Jaime Pedroza, Kyle Russell and Corey Smith homered early, and the Chattanooga Lookouts held on late for a 7-6 win Saturday night over Jacksonville at AT&T Field.
The Lookouts improved to 30-32 with eight games remaining in the Southern League’s second half. They already have been eliminated from the second-half race, but they could control their destiny in the wild-card chase by being within four games of West Tenn in the overall standings by Friday.
Chattanooga began Saturday five games back in the overall standings of West Tenn, which is where the Lookouts will conclude the regular season with a four-game set.
Russell’s one-out double to right in the second inning was followed by Pedroza’s home run to right to put the Lookouts up 2-0, and Trayvon Robinson provided the third run of the inning with a two-out infield hit. Russell opened the third inning with a homer to center to give Chattanooga a 4-0 lead.
The Suns pulled within 4-2 in the fourth inning when a double to left by Tim Torres scored Vinny Rottino and John Otness, but the Lookouts answered with three runs later that inning. After Dee Gordon and Jerry Sands reached via Jacksonville errors, Corey Smith homered to left.
Chattanooga entered the ninth up 7-4, but a two-run Torres homer to right-center off Lookouts relief pitcher Jon Huber pulled the Suns within a run. Huber ended the game by striking out Lorenzo Scott, who homered twice and doubled once Friday night but went 0-for-5 with five strikeouts Saturday.