Byron Buxton blasts an an inside-the-park-home run.
photo by Tim Evearitt
The Chattanooga Lookouts (28-17) went into extra-innings in their first ever contest against the Biloxi Shuckers (28-18), but dropped game one, 8-6, in 10 innings on Wednesday night at AT&T Field.
What else would you expect in game one between the two best teams in the Southern League?
Biloxi erased a five-run deficit to force extra innings and stole a win from the Lookouts The Shuckers chipped away at a 6-1 deficit and eventually went ahead thanks to Tyrone Taylor's two out, two-run double in the top of the 10th.
The Shuckers now match Chattanooga with 28 wins on the season, the most in the Southern League.
A leadoff in the 10th put the go-ahead run on base for the Shuckers. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position. Kyle Wren drew a walk one out later to keep the inning alive. Tyrone Taylor roped a double into right field to score both runners and give Biloxi its first lead of the night.
Lookouts manager argues a call at third base.
Chattanooga got on the board early in the first on a RBI single by Travis Harrison to bring in Jorge Polanco, giving the Lookouts a 1-0 lead.
Orlando Arcia's homer of the season tied the game at one in the top of the third.
The Lookouts responded with a run of their own in the bottom-half of the inning on aground out by Miguel Sano that plated Byron Buxton.
With the score 2-1, Chattanooga began to pull away in the fourth. Max Kepler led off the inning with a single and scored on a double by Adam Brett Walker II. Walker advanced to third on a ground out and crossed home plate on a wild pitch. Stuarrt Turner proceeded to smack his third home run of the year. The Lookouts were not done scoring in that inning as Buxton electrified the crowd with an inside the park home run. The speedster drove the ball to deep center and sneaked in under the tag for his sixth round tripper of 2015.
The Shuckers chipped away at the five-run deficit with a run in the fifth when Arcia doubled home Nick Shaw with two outs, and took a bigger chunk out of the 6-2 hole with a three-run sixth.
Tyler Green tied the game in the seventh on a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Nick Ramirez.
Biloxi's bullpen held strong in the fifth through ninth innings.
Damien Magnifico allowed a one-out single to defending Southern League offensive player of the week Max Kepler, but got Brett Walker and Mike Gonzalez on strikes to end the game and complete the comeback.
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Top pitching prospect RHP Jose Berrios (5-2, 2.89) aims to get the Lookouts back on track as he duels RHP Brooks Hall (4-2, 3.89) on Classic Car Night (Coker Tire) and Thirsty Thursday at AT&T Field. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. with gates opening at 6:00 p.m.
Jorge Palanco slides safely into third base.
photo by Tim Evearitt