Jackson Downed in Front of Record Crowd
Jackson Tenn. - Chattanooga got the better of Jackson 4-1 in front of a crowd of 6,814 at The Ballpark at Jackson on Saturday night in at The Ballpark at Jackson. The crowd of 6,814 was the largest-ever announced attendance in franchise history. The last time the team drew a crowd that large was on July 3, 2004 when 6,804 came to the yard to see the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.
Edwin Diaz (0-4, 6.75) was the tough-luck loser on Saturday after turning in the longest start of the season for any Jackson pitcher. The 21-year-old righty went 7.2 innings, giving up just two runs on seven hits while striking out six and walking two. He struck out Byron Buxton to put two away in the eighth before a Jorge Polanco double knocked him out of the game. Prior to Saturday, no starter had gone past six innings in a game this season.
Chattanooga (31-23) scored a run in each of the first two innings against Diaz to take an early lead. Byron Buxton singled to lead off before swiping both second and third base. Buxton scored on an RBI single by Adam Brett Walker II. The Twins' top prospect stole a third base in the fifth inning, tying a career high.
Jackson (22-32) knotted the game up with a run of its own in the first inning. In his first Double-A at-bat, Gianfranco Wawoe crushed a double of the wall in left field. Dario Pizzano followed with an RBI single to centerfield to the tie game. The run batted in was Pizzano's team-best 28th of the season.
The game wouldn't remain tied long, as the Lookouts answered with the go-ahead run in the second inning off of Diaz. Mike Gonzales and Carlos Paulino hit consecutive doubles to plate what would be the deciding run as Chattanooga went up 2-1.
Diaz was spectacular over his next 5.2 innings. He struck out four while only allowing three more hits and keeping the powerful Chattanooga offense from scoring another run.
Unfortunately for Diaz, Chattanooga's David Hurlbut (1-2, 7.71) outdueled the Jackson righty with seven strong innings. Jackson's first-inning run was the team's only score of the game. Hurlbut gave up just five hits to earn his first Double-A victory.
Chattanooga added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth inning on a two-run home run by Mike Gonzales that made it 4-1 in favor of the visitors. The three-run deficit was too much for Jackson to overcome, as Zach Jones (S, 8) pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his eighth save of the season.
The Generals will try to snap a five-game losing streak against the Lookouts as the series continues on Sunday evening. Lefty Scott DeCecco (1-3, 5.48), who went six innings his last time out, gets the start for Jackson against Chattanooga righty Alex Wimmers (2-1, 6.49). First pitch from The Ballpark at Jackson is set for 6:05 pm CT, and you can tune into the broadcast on the TJ Network (AM 1390, FM 94.1 and 94.3) starting with the Tennessee Army National Guard Pregame Show at 5:50 pm CT.
Tomorrow's game is a Sunday Family FunDay presented by Bancorp South! Kids 12 years of age and younger get free general admission tickets, Fun Zone access, ice cream and a pregame catch on the field all thanks to Bancorp South! Tickets are still available, so get yours by calling (731) 988.5299, stopping by the park or going online to jacksongeneralsbaseball.com.