Lookouts Break Losing Streak With 9-8 Win Over Montgomery Sunday

Walker Hits No. 22, A Monstrous Blast Over Center Field

  • Sunday, June 28, 2015
  • Tim Evearitt
Adam Brett Walker hit his 22nd homer of the season in the Lookouts victory.
Adam Brett Walker hit his 22nd homer of the season in the Lookouts victory.
photo by Tim Evearitt

 MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Biscuits did all they could to get another comeback victory against the Chattanooga Lookouts on Sunday night, but fell just short in the bottom of the ninth to lose their first game of the second half in a 9-8 thriller at Riverwalk.

The Lookouts' lineup pounded out thirteen hits as a team providing a ton of offense, though it was just enough to escape with the victory after an eventful ninth inning.

Chattanooga broke a three-game losing streak and captured their first win of the second-half.

Inning-by-inning game Recap

The Lookouts jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first after Max Kepler drove in Miguel Sano, who had doubled. Montgomery tied the game at one in the second inning with a sac fly, but the score remained that way until the sixth as starter Jose Berrios was brilliant.

In seven innings, Berrios allowed just the one run on two hits and a walk. He struck out six and seventy of his ninety-seven pitches went for strikes. He retired thirteen in a row at one point, and struck out the last two hitters he faced in the game. He left with the score 5-1 in favor of the Lookouts. 

The Biscuits hung tough for most of the game, but fell behind in the sixth when Montgomery starter Jaime Schultz (5-3) surrendered a titanic two-run home run to Lookouts' left fielder Adam Brett Walker. For Walker, it was his Minor League-leading 22nd homer and he hit it off the top of the hitter's eye in dead center field to make it 3-1.

The Lookouts would add to their lead with a two-run double by Kepler the following inning.

Max Kepler went 3-for-3 with three RBI raising his average to .349.

The Biscuits lineup woke up after Berrios left, however, and made the score 5-4 in the eighth as D.J. Baxendale was greeted with a solo home run, and two batters later a two-run shot reached the seats. He finished the inning with a strikeout to escape any more damage.

The Lookouts responded in the top of the ninth with a three-run opposite-field blast by third baseman Miguel Sano, and an RBI-double by Walker to hand Chattanooga a 9-4 lead heading to the bottom of the ninth.

While it appeared the lead was safe, the Biscuits would not go quietly. For the second consecutive night closer Zach Jones had all kinds of problems. Jones walked the first batter he faced, and then picked up the first two quick outs, before his control became an issue again. Three more walks and two wild pitches brought the first run of the inning across. Then, with the bases loaded, Tyler Goeddel tripled to make it 9-8.

With the tying run on third, manager Doug Mientkiewicz went to the bullpen and brought in Tim Shibuya who put the fire out thanks to a diving catch by right fielder Max Kepler to end the game. 

Shibuya picked up his first save of the year.

It was one of the most exciting games of the season, and the Lookouts were lucky to come away on the winning side. But a win is a win and the Lookouts are now 1-3 for the second half.

Box

Chattanooga will try to make it two straight in the series finale Monday night when Blake Snell (4-2) takes the hill against fellow southpaw Jason Wheeler (0-0) at 8:05 p.m.

Notes:

Miguel Sano, the Minnesota Twins No. 2 prospect continues to rake. Sano went 3-for-5 with a double and a three-run home run. His home run was the third he has hit in the last five games.

Adam Brett Walker II, the Twins No. 12 prospect finished the night 2-for-5 and added a double. The power hitting prospect also leads the Southern League in RBIs with 66. Walker has hit five home runs and driven in 13 runs in his last 10 games.

Max Kepler, the Twins No. 14 prospect, went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Kepler also made a diving catch to win the game. Over the last 10 games Kepler is hitting .553 with  nine RBIs. He currently leads the Southern League in batting average with a .349 mark.

Over their last ten games Sano, Kepler, and Walker have been otherworldly in the three, four, and five spots in the lineup:

Sano: 14-40 (.350), 13 R’s, 6 2B’s, 4 HR’s, 11 RBI, 5 BB’s, 9 K’s.
Kepler: 21-38 (.553), 8 R’s, 2 2B’s, 4 3B’s, 9 RBI, 7 BB’s, 6 K’s.
Walker: 14-39 (.359), 7 R’s, 2 2B’s, 5 HR’s, 12 RBI, 5 BB, 17 K’s.

Miguel Sano hit his 15th home run of the season
Miguel Sano hit his 15th home run of the season
photo by Tim Evearitt
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