Eight Runs in 8th Inning Dooms Barons 8-4

By Jeff Allison

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- With the Barons leading 4-0 after seven innings, the Chattanooga Lookouts scored eight runs in the eighth inning and went on to defeat the Birmingham Barons 8-5 before 3,755 at Regions Field on Friday night. The Lookouts have won four straight games against the Barons in this series.

For the first seven innings, the Barons' pitching staff was pretty much flawless. Starting pitcher Connor McCullough pitched 3.0 innings, giving up only two hits, no runs, no walks, and five strikeouts. Chase Watkins pitched 2.1 innings, giving up only one hit, no runs, one walk, and three strikeouts. Jackson Kelley pitched 1.2 innings and didn't give up a hit or a walk. Jarold Rosado pitched only 0.1 innings, giving up eight hits, eight earned runs, no walks, and a strikeout. Riley Gowens pitched 1.2 innings with two strikeouts.

The Barons led 4-0 going into the top of the eighth inning, but the Lookouts scored eight runs in the inning. A Cam Collier two-run home run tied the game at 4-4 in the inning, and the Lookouts went on to score four more runs to take the 8-4 lead. Caden Connor hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to cut the lead to 8-5, but that was it as the comeback fell short.

Samual Zavala hit a home run, two singles, the RBI, and a run scored in the Barons' loss.