The Chattanooga Lookouts picked up a 7-2 road win in Southern League action Friday night in Pensacola, Fla., bouncing back from a night of underwhelming offense in Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Blue Wahoos with timely big hits.
The biggest was a three-run home run by Levi Michael that stretched the Lookouts’ lead to 7-1. He delivered with one out in the sixth after Heiker Meneses and Jairo Rodriguez drew back-to-back walks to start the inning.
Adam Walker had a pair of RBI doubles for Chattanooga (67-53), scoring Jorge Polanco in the first and Max Kepler in the fifth, and Shannon Wilkerson homered to lead off the third. Kepler had an RBI single in that inning.
Pensacola (55-67) scored in the fifth inning on back-to-back doubles by Ryan Wright and Alex Blandino and notched its final run in the ninth, when Beau Amaral had a leadoff double, moved to third on a wild pitch and came home on another.
D.J. Baxendale (6-4) allowed five hits and as many walks while striking out six batters over five innings to earn the win. Nick Burdi worked three scoreless innings in relief, walking three and striking out three.
Michael finished 2-for-4 with a walk, Kepler was 2-for-5 and Travis Harrison walked twice.
The final contest of the five-game series – each team has two wins – is at 7:30 EDT tonight. Jason Wheeler (3-2, 3.83) is scheduled to start on the mound for the Lookouts, with Barrett Astin (4-4, 4.66) scheduled for the Blue Wahoos.