Generals Blank Chattanooga in Home Finale

Jackson, Tenn. - Jackson's final home game of 2017 was a success as the Generals shut out the Chattanooga Lookouts 4-0 Wednesday night. Ryan Atkinson was the first of five Jackson pitchers to combine on a 15th shutout win for the team. The Generals won the series and went 6-4 against first-place Chattanooga in the Second Half.
Ryan Atkinson (3-2, 3.41) turned in one of his best starts with the Generals, striking out seven while allowing just two hits and a walk. He retired the first 11 batters he faced before LaMonte Wade Jr singled with two outs in the fourth. Atkinson is now at 159 strikeouts on the season with one start left.

Jackson (31-34, 68-67) staked Atkinson to an early lead thanks to a rally by the bottom of the lineup in the second. Daniel Lockhart and Oscar Hernández singled to put men on at the corners, and Galli Cribbs Jr. came through with an RBI single up the middle against Chattanooga's Ryan Eades (3-3, 3.87).
The Generals added two more in the fifth thanks in part to a pair of Chattanooga errors. After a Hernandez single, Cribbs reached on an error and Emilio Bonifácio sacrificed both men into scoring position. With Travis Denker at the plate, an errant pickoff attempt from catcher Brian Navarreto brough Hernandez home. Denker followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
Chattanooga (44-21, 86-49) had opportunities to score, but wound up leaving eight on base in defeat. Atkinson left with one on and two outs in the sixth inning, and a pair of relievers finished off the Lookouts behind him. Josh Taylor struck out three over two innings of work to keep the shutout intact.
In the bottom of the eighth, Jamie Westbrook added an insurance run with a single to score Kelly Dugan. The Generals scored a run on four walks and that hit to go up 4-0 before Andury Acevedo worked the ninth to close out the win.
The victory was Jackson's 15th in shutout fashion this season, tying the Generals with Chattanooga for the most in the Southern League. The Generals won both series versus the Lookouts in the Second Half and wound up splitting their 20 overall meetings in 2017. The Jackson win prevented Chattanooga from celebrating a Second Half championship in West Tennessee.
Wednesday night's affair was Jackson's last at home in 2017. The Generals played 69 games at The Ballpark at Jackson this season, going 32-37 as the home squad.
The Generals finish off the season on the road with five against division-rival Tennessee in Sevierville. Game one of the series at Smokies Stadium is Thursday night at 6:00 pm CT/7:00 pm ET, and fans can follow along starting with the Pregame Show at 5:45 pm CT/6:45 pm ET on Willie 94 FM & 1390 AM.
Thank you to all the great fans that made 2017-Jackson's first as an Arizona affiliate-a success! The Generals open up the 2018 season at home on April 5 against Jacksonville! Call the team at (731) 988.5299, stop by The Ballpark or go online to jacksongeneralsbaseball.com to get season tickets for next year now!