Lookouts play two, lose two

The Chattanooga Lookouts lost 3-2 to the Tennessee Smokies on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Field.

Twice.

The Lookouts came up short in a pair of seven-inning games by the identical score in front of a sun-splashed announced crowd of 4,341. Sunday’s doubleheader was the result of Thursday’s series opener being postponed due to unplayable field conditions.

Chattanooga led in both games but dropped to 12-12, while the Smokies improved to 12-11 and crept into second place in the Southern League’s North Division.

The Lookouts grabbed a 2-1 advantage in the opener on Chris Paul’s two-out double to left field in the third inning that scored Zander Wiel. The Smokies tied the game on Yasiel Balaguert’s home run to left in the fourth, then went up 3-2 in the fifth when Jeffrey Baez’s sacrifice bunt scored Jesse Hodges.

Taking the opening loss for the Lookouts was Zack Littell, who dropped to 0-3 with a 5.87 ERA after going a combined 19-1 with a 2.12 ERA last season, when he split time between high Single-A and Double-A.

Chattanooga went up 2-0 in the second game when Brent Rooker’s double to left in the third inning scored LaMonte Wade. The Lookouts maintained that lead until Tennessee posted a three-run fifth that was highlighted by doubles from Eddy Martinez and Baez and also included a Sam Clay wild pitch that enabled Ian Rice to score.

Getting the win in the second game was Oscar De La Cruz, who went all seven innings and allowed four hits while striking out five.

Tennessee clinched the series with Sunday’s triumphs, and the teams will wrap up the five-game set this morning at 11:15. The Lookouts will open May with a five-game series at Mobile.