Elias fans 10 as Generals win second straight over Lookouts
CHATTANOOGA, TENN (JULY 24, 2013) - Lefty Roenis Elias struck out 10 on the mound and James Jones added three hits as the Generals (14-15) won their second game in a row over Chattanooga (12-18), 4-3 on Wednesday night. Generals pitching matched a season-high by striking out 16 Lookouts in the game. It was Jackson's 15th win during a one-run game this season.
The bottom of the lineup did plenty of the damage in yesterday's 8-0 rout over Chattanooga, but tonight it was the Generals' first four hitters that provided the spark. Chris Taylor (1-5), Leon Landry (0-4, R, BB), James Jones (3-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 3B) and Ramon Morla (2-5, HR, 2 RBI, R) provided six of the eight Jackson hits and all four runs. Ji-Man Choi (2-3, 2B) was the only other batter with a base hit in the Generals' lineup in his second straight multi-hit game.
The Generals cracked back-to-back long balls to begin the sixth inning. The two solo home runs allowed the visiting team to regain the lead, 4-3. Jackson had scored twice in the second as well, behind an RBI triple from Jones. It was Jones' Southern League-leading 10th triple of the season.
The pitching was sharp behind Elias (W, 6-8, 2.99), as relievers' Stephen Kohlscheen (2.85), Nick Hill (2.27) and Dominic Leone (0.00) blanked Chattanooga over the final four frames. Elias was at fault for all three runs Chattanooga scored. He got into trouble in the fifth after he had allowed a solo home run in the third. The Lookouts had three hits in the fifth and scored twice. The left-hander was finished after the fifth, allowing six hits and not walking a hitter. Elias finished one strike out short of tying a career-high. He fanned two hitters in every inning, resulting in 10 punch outs altogether.
Leone pitched a perfect ninth, notching his first Double-A save and has not surrendered a hit in his first three Jackson outings.
Jackson is now 7-5 against Chattanooga thus far on the season. Oddly enough, the team was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. John Hicks caught two runners trying to steal tonight. Hicks has now thrown out half the base runners that have tried stealing on him, gunning down 24 of 48 on the season. For the second straight night, a member of the Lookouts' team was ejected against the Generals as Joc Pederson was tossed in the eighth for arguing the strike zone.
Anthony Fernandez (5-5, 4.46) will start Thursday's 6:15 p.m. (CT) game for the Generals. The Lookouts will send Chris Reed (3-7, 3.38) to the mound. The game can be heard on 96.5 ESPN Radio, TuneIn Radio App. and jacksongeneralsbaseball.com.