Felix Jorge did not have his best stuff in Wednesday's loss.
photo by Tim Evearitt
The Chattanooga Lookouts dropped their regular season home finale to the Mississippi Braves, 6-2, Wednesday afternoon. Chattanooga is now 3 1/2 games back of the Montgomery Biscuits for the top spot in the North Division with five games left to play.
The loss was the Lookouts 64th of the season and the team finishes the regular season with a home record of 39-31.
The M-Braves guaranteed themselves a spot in first place in the South Division headed into the final series of the regular season with their win at AT&T Field.
Stephen Gaylor had a huge day at the plate, going 4-for-5 to set the table in the leadoff spot, while the Braves teed off for 15 hits against Chattanooga starter Felix Jorge (2-5) and reliever Brandon Peterson.
The Braves jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a big second inning.
Connor Lien led off with a double, Willians Astudillo singled and Johan Camargo drove in both with a triple. Kade Scivicque hit an RBI single on the first pitch he saw at double-A, and Gaylor followed with his second hit to set up a Dustin Peterson RBI single.
The Lookouts threatened a comeback all afternoon, but starter Lucas Sims (5-4) eluded trouble. Chattanooga got on the board in the second with an Edgar Corcino single and a Niko Goodrum RBI triple.
In the sixth, Chattanooga pulled it to 4-2 when DJ Hicks singled, Corcino walked, and TJ White singled with two outs to drive in a run.
Sims allowed just two runs on seven hits and three walks over six innings, striking out four in the win. AJ Minter came on in the seventh and loaded the bases with one out, but got out of the jam with a strikeout of Hicks and a groundout by Corcino.
In the eighth, the Braves dealt the final blow when Joey Meneses clubbed a two-run homer off Jorge, his second of the series and the double-A season. The long ball made it 6-2 and sealed the win. Jorge allowed six runs on 14 hits over seven innings to take the loss.
Akeel Morris pitched the final two innings for the Braves, striking out five to close out the win.
Box
Thursday, Chattanooga travels to Jackson for the last five regular season games of the year.
The Lookouts will send Stephen Gonsalves to the mound who has only given up one earned run in the month of August. Fans who want to listen to tomorrow's broadcast can tune in to 98.1 the Lake.
Edgar Corcino drove in the first of the two Lookouts' runs.
photo by Tim Evearitt