Lookouts Open Second Half of the Season With Walk-Off Victory

(lookouts.com) A walk-off single from outfielder Michael Beltre has led the Chattanooga Lookouts to a 10-9 victory over the Birmingham Barons on Thursday night. After Birmingham scored a pair in the top half of the ninth, Gavin LaValley led off the inning with his 11th double of the season. Narcisco Crook then moved LaValley to third base on a sac fly, before Beltre guided a 2-2 pitch into center field to send the crowd home happy.

The Barons started the game off hot, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the opening frame thanks to a pair of RBI doubles from Luis Gonzales & Luis Basabe. Chattanooga would cut away at the deficit though with a run in the first and two more in the third inning, before a five-run fifth inning gave the home side their first lead of the night. With a man on and two out, the Lookouts got two straight hits and a pair of walks to bring Mitch Nay to the plate with the bases loaded. He would go on to hit a bases-clearing, three-run double to give the Lookouts an 8-5 advantage.

Birmingham were quick to cut into the lead thanks to two runs in the seventh inning, but an RBI double play from TJ Friedl in the bottom half of the inning proved all important. That handed Chattanooga a 9-7 advantage moving into the ninth, which set the table for Beltre’s heroics in the series opener.

The two teams are back at it on Fireworks Friday, as LHP Packy Naughton (2-3, 2.63 ERA) takes the mound for Chattanooga opposite LHP Tanner Banks (1-4, 2.96).