Lookouts Beat Trash Pandas, 4-3

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Chattanooga Lookouts were victorious in a rain-shortened, 4-3, win over the Rocket City Trash Pandas on Thursday night from AT&T Field.

Elly De La Cruz started the scoring with a 512-foot home run over the right-field wall. Alex McGarry doubled the lead with a solo shot of his own later in the inning to make it, 2-0.

Rocket City (53-40) answered in the fifth pushing a run across with an RBI double from Preston Palmeiro.

Chattanooga (40-53) secured some insurance runs in the fifth with a De La Cruz RBI triple and De La Cruz scored on a double steal after Matt McLain got in a run down to make it, 4-1.

The Trash Pandas made it interesting in the seventh cutting the lead to one. When the game was called Rocket City had runners on the corner and an out but the rain came down, making the field unplayable.

De La Cruz paced the Lookout offense with a 2-for-4 contest with a triple, home run, and a pair of RBIs. Hopkins went 2-for-4 with a double and McGarry had an RBI with a solo home run.

Ricky Salinas got the start and went four innings allowing just a run on three hits, two walks, and struck out two batters. Andy Fisher

(3-0) got the win pitching 0.2 innings in relief allowing a hit and walk and struck out a batter. Pedro Garcia picked up his seventh save of the year pitching 0.2 innings giving up a pair of hits and fanning a batter.

Palmeiro led the Rocket City attack finishing the game 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. Sean McLaughlin (1-3) was tagged with the loss allowing two runs on three hits and a walk and struck out five batters in 3.1 innings.

Chattanooga will be back in action tomorrow for game four of the series with the Trash Pandas beginning at 7:15 p.m.