Lookouts Clinch Division Title With Win Over the Suns

The Chattanooga Lookouts (40-25) clinched a playoff spot and the First Half North Division Title with an 8-6 win over the Jacksonville Suns (29-37).  Chattanooga wins a first half title for the first time since 2006 and will head to the playoffs for the second consecutive year. 

After falling behind one run in the first the Lookouts offense shifted into gear in the bottom of that inning. With runners on first and third Max Kepler smacked his first hit of the night to knot the game up at one. Travis Harrison followed that up with a double to plate two more runs and then scored on a Mike Gonzales ground out. 

Chattanooga continued to pour on the runs in the third.  Stephen Wickens led off the inning with a home run to increase their lead to four.  With one out Kepler continued his hot streak with a triple to left-center and scored on a sacrifice-fly. The next batter Adam Brett Walker II capped off the scoring with his league-leading 18th home run of the year. 

Staked to an early lead, the reigning Twins Minor Leaguer of the Week, David Hurlbut, continued to ride his hot streak.  The southpaw finished the night only allowing five hits and two earned runs in seven innings.  Hurlbut has now posted three straight starts of seven innings and is 3-1 in June with a 2.52 ERA.

Late in the game the Suns tried to duplicate last night’s comeback with two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth, but their rally fell short.