Watch a win.
Get a win.
Such was the case Saturday for the Chattanooga Lookouts, who defeated the Jackson Generals 7-4 at AT&T Field after watching the Minnesota Twins defeat Cleveland by the same score on the clubhouse televisions. Chattanooga and Minnesota signed a four-year player development agreement last September.
“It’s fun to see,” Lookouts first baseman Mike Gonzales said. “We know those guys and have played ball with those guys, and it’s fun to watch them win. We like to do the same thing.”
And win they have.
Minnesota’s victory over Cleveland was the eighth triumph in nine games for the Twins, who at best had modest expectations but are now 18-13 and chasing Kansas City and Detroit in the American League Central Division.
The Lookouts had more prominent projections for success and have won seven of their last eight games to improve to 16-12. They are in first place in the Southern League’s North Division.
“I really don’t concern myself with what our big-league club does, because I’ve got so many issues here,” Lookouts manager Doug Mientkiewicz said. “We definitely check up on each other, but we have enough on our own plate. We stress to our players to control what we can control, and the only thing we can control is here.
“We want our guys to stay here and be here and don’t think about what’s behind you or what’s in front of you.”
Chattanooga pounced on Generals starting pitcher Jake Zokan, with Travis Harrison launching a three-run home run to left field in the first inning. Miguel Sano’s homer to right in the fifth inning put the Lookouts up 4-0, and Jorge Polanco’s two-run homer to right in the sixth made it 7-0.
The Lookouts needed just five hits to produce their seven runs.
D.J. Baxendale (2-0, 0.86 ERA) is scheduled to start today’s 2:15 series finale on the mound for the Lookouts, with Stephen Landazuri (0-1, 2.66) scheduled for the Generals.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.