Corey Smith would be fine if May never ended.
The Chattanooga Lookouts third baseman was named earlier this month as the Southern League hitter of the week and on Sunday blasted his first career walk-off grand slam. Smith continued the surge Monday night at AT&T Field with three hits and two RBIs, but the 5-0 lead he helped provide wasn’t enough as Carolina rallied for a 9-7 win.
“I’ve started to get into a little groove,” Smith said after raising his season average to .303. “I’m getting some pitches to hit, and I’m doing something with them right now.”
Chattanooga relief pitchers Timothy Sexton, Eric Krebs and David Pfeiffer combined to allow six runs as the Lookouts dropped to 19-26. The Lookouts were hoping to build from Smith’s slam but reverted back to May 13, when their bullpen blew a 5-0 lead against Mississippi in the eighth inning and lost 11-5.
Carolina tied the game at 6 in the eighth Monday when Kristopher Negron’s pinch-hit double off the center-field wall was followed by Dave Sappelt’s RBI double off the right-field wall. Jake Kahaulelio then hit a two-run home run to left to put the Mudcats up 8-6.