[tenthreeleader]

Series 6 – Chattanooga Lookouts (15-10) at Mobile Bay Bears (13-12)
Game 1 – May 2
They had a day off, finally, even though half of it was used to bus from Chattanooga to Mobile. That gave Rob a chance to spend some quality time with Jody.

The old joke goes, “do you want me to call you in the morning or just roll over,” and as hackneyed as it was, their night at the bar had resulted in the latter.

It turned out they both needed the moment, so when they rolled over the next morning, there were no regrets – and in fact, plans for a repeat performance.

Then it was off to Mobile for the start of a series between two teams that looked like they could be half decent before the season was over.

The Bay Bears were 13-12 but that was only good for fourth place in the hyper-competitive South. The Lookouts had the better record but appeared to be playing in the weaker division.

There was one problem as the teams started the series: the absence of Jake Cave. The team’s best hitter (.385, second-leading home run hitter (five) and RBI leader (11) was out with a broken wrist. Starting thirdbaseman Chris Paul, who had been hurt early in the prior series, was diagnosed with a broken kneecap and would miss several months. Starting pitcher Ryan Eades had a torn labrum. Same story.

So a banged up Lookouts team turned to Fernando Romero to right the ship in the opener. He didn’t have his usual stuff, allowing four walks and four earned runs in five inning of hard labor. Walker and Xavier Turner drove in runs in a two-run third to keep the Lookouts in the game while new middle reliever Logan Lombana worked two scoreless innings. But the Lookouts could manage only one more run in the seventh and the Mobile bullpen made it stand up.
Bay Bears 4, Lookouts 3

Game 2 – May 3 – Lookouts (15-11) at Bay Bears (14-12)
As frustrating as the opener had been, game two of the series was worse. The Australian, Lewis Thorpe, took the mound and was strafed for a six-spot in the first inning, with Jose Briceno’s first homer of the season doing most of the damage. Thorpe lasted into the third before giving way to Myles Jaye, who was like gasoline on a fire. The middle reliever gave up a run in the fourth and four in the fifth as the Bay Bears staked Jesus Castillo (2-4) to a giant lead. To make matters worse, reliever Jeremy Rhoades zipped the Lookouts for the final three innings to get a save in a game where it was never that close. Rooker’s eighth homer in the fourth inning was the lone bright spot – and if the Lookouts hadn’t turned three double plays, it would have been even worse.
Bay Bears 13, Lookouts 2

Game 3 – May 4 – Lookouts (15-12) at Bay Bears (15-12)
The beat goes on, as they say. Michael Santos took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Zander Wiel barely missed a home run, instead settling for a long double to left. The firstbaseman’s odd stats – seven home runs, nine runs batted in – was perplexing. Almost as perplexing as what was wrong with Kohl Stewart, which nobody could figure out. The starter was terrible, giving up seven earned runs and ten hits before being mercifully invited to take an early shower in the fifth inning. Edgar Corcino was in a major slump – he was oh-for-eight in the series and stood at .162 for the season despite being the team’s everyday rightfielder. It was ugly.
Bay Bears 8, Lookouts 2

Game 4 – May 5 – Lookouts (15-13) at Bay Bears (16-12)
This time the Lookouts got a decent start – and finish – from Cole Stashak, who went the distance, allowing four hits and two runs while needing just 96 pitches. Unfortunately, his teammates gave him exactly three hits and no runs of support as the Lookouts sank to their fourth straight loss. Corcino dropped to .155 after a size three collar made him oh-for-11 in the series. Jonah Wesely got the last three outs for the save but the Lookouts could have put the ball on a tee and not managed a hit.
Bay Bears 2, Lookouts 0

Game 5 – May 6 – Lookouts (15-14) at Bay Bears (16-13)
Looking to avoid a five-game sweep behind new guy Adam Bray, the Lookouts took their first lead of the series in the second inning when Brian Navaretto, catching to give Sawyer a day off, doubled and was chased home on Sean Miller’s single. Navaretto tripled home Isaac Ballou in the fourth for a 2-0 advantage, only to see the second of two errors by Nelson Molina lead to two unearned Mobile runs in the fourth. So the game went until the ninth, when righthanded stopper John Curtiss allowed a walk-off RBI double to Brendon Sanger to put the Lookouts into the pit of misery. Corcino went oh-for-four to drop to .147 after an oh-for-15 series.
Bay Bears 3, Lookouts 2
Standings – 15-15, third place (2GB Birmingham)

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