Lookouts Stay In Playoff Hunt With Dramatic Victory

The Chattanooga Lookouts scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to overcome the Mississippi Braves and stay 2.5 games back of the Birmingham Barons for a playoff spot.

In the first inning, Mississippi jumped out to an early lead off of starting pitcher Ricky Salinas. Salinas settled down after allowing the early runs and struck out seven in five innings.

The score remained 2-0 Braves until the bottom of the sixth inning when Lorenzo Cedrola hit an RBI single and Chuckie Robinson came around to score to even things up.

The Braves answered in the top of the seventh adding three runs to make it 5-2 but Matt Lloyd cut the lead back down to two with a single that scored Drew Mount.

In the eighth, the Lookouts loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a walk. Brian Rey then drew the two-out base on balls and Chattanooga took advantage of a fielding error to add two more and to take a 6-5 lead in the ninth.

Daniel Duarte came in for the ninth and struck out the leadoff batter and retired all three batters he faced to pick up his fifth save of the season.

Lorenzo Cedrola finished the game 3-for-4 with an RBI and Byrd Tenerowicz and Matt Lloyd each had a 2-for-4 game.

Julio Pinto got the win going 1.1 innings allowing just a hit with a pair of strikeouts.

The two teams square off again on Thirsty Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. with gates opening at 6:00 p.m.