Chattanooga Cruises to 16-4 Home Opening Win

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Lookouts had an emphatic, 16-4, win over Birmingham in their home opener for the 2022 season.

Chattanooga (2-2) broke it open in a seven-run fifth inning. Quincy McAfee opened the floodgates with a three-run home run and the Lookouts tacked on four more runs on five walks and a bases-clearing triple from Michael Siani to take a, 10-1, advantage.

The hosts added three more in the sixth thanks to a pair of RBI singles from Jacob Hurtubise and TJ Hopkins and Matt McLain hit a three-run shot over the left-field wall to take the final to, 16-4.

Birmingham (0-4) got on the board first with a two-out single by Raudy Read to score Tyler Neslony to take a brief lead in the second.

In the bottom of the fourth, the hosts took advantage of an error by the shortstop to start the inning and Francisco Urbaez came around to score a sacrifice fly by Francisco Urbaez. Mark Kolozsvary then drove in Byrd Tenerowicz and Hurtubise brought Kolozsvary around to take the, 3-1, lead Chattanooga would not relinquish.

Connor Curlis got the start on the mound and 4.1 innings for Lookouts allowing five hits, one run, three walks, and struck out six batters.

Pedro Garcia got the win going the next 1.2 innings without allowing a hit and struck out three. Miguel Medrano picked up the three-inning save despite allowing three runs on three hits with two walks but did fan six batters.

Steven Moyers got the loss for the Barons going 4.2 innings allowing seven hits, seven runs (four earned), with a pair of walks and seven punchouts.

Read paced the visiting offense going 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

Siani led the Chattanooga offense falling just a home run short of the cycle with a 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, and a game-high four RBIs.

The two teams will meet again in game two tomorrow at AT&T Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. EDT.