CHATTANOOGA, TN - The Tennessee Smokies (46-61, 13-25) locked up a series win against the Chattanooga Lookouts (46-60, 10-27) with a 4-3 win in eleven innings on Monday night at AT&T Field.Both sides kicked off the evening with an early run in the first. Roberto Caro led off the game by
CHATTANOOGA, TN - The Tennessee Smokies (46-61, 13-25) locked up a series win against the Chattanooga Lookouts (46-60, 10-27) with a 4-3 win in eleven innings on Monday night at AT&T Field.
Both sides kicked off the evening with an early run in the first. Roberto Caro led off the game by drawing a walk and stealing his 29th base of the season for the Smokies. He came around to score the first run of the night thanks to an RBI-single from Ian Rice.
The Lookouts responded six minutes later off Smokies starter RHP Thomas Hatch. Jose Siri launched his second home run of the series on the first pitch he saw to tie the game at one apiece.
Hatch threw 58 pitches in 3.1 innings before being removed. He gave up just one earned run and four hits in a no decision. It was his third start in a row where he has not surpassed more than four innings.
Both RHP Michael Rucker and RHP Bailey Clark provided a pair of scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Only one hit was allowed between them in 4.2 innings. Clark extended his scoreless inning streak to a current team best of 11.2 innings. LHP Wyatt Short (W, 5) kept the ballgame knotted up in the ninth to initiate extra innings for the second straight night.
Both sides where able to grab a single run in the tenth inning. Jared Young ripped a single to score Vimael Machin and give the Smokies a 2-1 lead. Chattanooga responded in the bottom of the inning with an RBI-single of their own from Calten Daal.
The Smokies sealed the ballgame in the 11th. With two outs in the inning, RHP Wyatt Strahan (L, 3) walked both Caro and Jake Stinnett to load the bases. Machin followed with a ground ball single to centerfield to score two runs and give the Smokies a 4-2 lead.
The Lookouts got a run back from a sacrifice fly by Alberti Chavez to score Siri, but it was not enough. RHP Ben Hecht (S,1) sat down the side to secure his first save of the season and seal a series win for Tennessee.
Game four of the series between the Smokies and the Lookouts is set for Tuesday night. RHP Alex Lange (2-3, 4.09) makes his seventh start of the season for the Smokies, while RHP Tony Santillan (2-8, 4.81) will get the ball for Chattanooga. First pitch is set for 7:15 EDT.
