Chattanooga Lookouts keep rallying to edge Birmingham Barons

Chattanooga Lookouts shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez has hit safely in 19 of his past 20 games. Rodriguez had two hits and scored a run in Chattanooga's 10-9 victory over Birmingham at AT&T Field Thursday night.
Chattanooga Lookouts shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez has hit safely in 19 of his past 20 games. Rodriguez had two hits and scored a run in Chattanooga's 10-9 victory over Birmingham at AT&T Field Thursday night.

With flair at the plate and at shortstop, Southern League All-Star and Chattanooga Lookouts standout Alfredo Rodriguez continues to impress.

The Cuban-born baseball player helped the Lookouts power back against the Birmingham Barons to start the league's second half as his 21st multihit game of the season and strong play in the field aided a 10-9 comeback victory Thursday night at AT&T Field.

All the pieces have come together for the Cincinnati Reds prospect whose previous career-high average was .253 for a season. Rodrgiuez raised his 2019 average to .308 as he reached base four times, smacking a double and scoring twice.

"This season is the best I have ever had," said the 25-year-old Rodriguez, who ranks fourth in the Southern League batting race. "This offseason I worked hard to be successful and really focused on making the adjustments I needed to make. To have just played in the all-star game and to help my team win means a lot."

Rodriguez has hit safely in 19 of his past 20 games and has a .983 fielding percentage. He stole a pair of hits away from the Barons with a backhand play deep in the hole and a slick play up the middle.

"I feel really good with my glove and bat right now," Rodriguez said. "I have a lot of confidence in my game and feel like there is not much I can't do. I just want to keep things going and see what happen."

Despite trailing 4-0 before their first at-bat, the Lookouts went on to collect 15 hits.

Left fielder Narciso Crook went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored to go along with a leaping catch on the warning track, and right fielder Michael Beltre provided the late-inning heroics.

After Chattanooga gave up a two-run lead, Gavin LaValley doubled to begin the home half of the ninth, and a Crook flyout moved LaValley 90 feet away from home. Beltre's fourth hit of the game provided a walk-off finish in front of 2,976.

Mitch Nay drove in four runs for the Lookouts. He had a bases-clearing double in a five-run fifth for an 8-5 lead.

Ty Boyles picked up a hold by tossing 1 1/3 perfect innings in relief for Chattanooga, which will start Virginia Tech graduate Packy Naughton on the mound in Friday's 7:15 p.m. game against the Barons.

Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.

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