Elian Herrera doubled to right field twice in the fourth inning as the Chattanooga Lookouts erupted for an 8-2 victory over the Tennessee Smokies in Monday night’s series finale at AT&T Field.
The win was just the second in the five-game set for Chattanooga, which improved to 22-28 with 20 games left in the Southern League’s second half. The Lookouts won five of 18 games this season against the Smokies, who captured the North Division’s first-half title at 15 games over .500 (42-27) and are 15 games over (33-18) this half.
“We just want to go out and play the game right every day, just like we did in the first half,” said Smokies catcher Steve Clevenger, who was the hero of Tennessee’s 9-6 win Sunday with his three-run double in the ninth inning. “We’re playing really well as a team right now, and the team is getting along really well in the clubhouse.”
Tennessee was after a fourth consecutive win Monday and took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Brandon Guyer tripled to center and scored on Matthew Spencer’s sacrifice to right.
Chattanooga took control later that inning, however, opening with a Herrera double, a Trayvon Robinson walk, a Jerry Sands walk and an Eddy Perez three-run double to center. Perez and Kyle Russell scored on a Rafael Dolis wild pitch to put the Lookouts up 5-1, and Herrera’s second double scored Alberto Bastardo and Dee Gordon to cap the seven-run surge.
The Lookouts are off today before beginning a five-game series Wednesday in Montgomery, with Will Savage (0-1, 8.10 ERA) scheduled to start the opener opposite Biscuits pitcher Jeremy Hall (5-8, 3.38). The Lookouts return to AT&T next Monday for a doubleheader against Mobile, which will start at 5:15.