Yimi Garcia pitches for the Chattanooga Lookouts on Monday against the Jacksonville Suns at AT&T Field, in a completion of a game rained out in progress Sunday. The Lookouts won that one 3-0 but then lost the seven-inning game.The Chattanooga Lookouts have performed quite well recently in games interrupted by rain.
Not until some normalcy returned did the Lookouts struggle.
Andres Santiago, Onelki Garcia and Yimi Garcia combined on a four-hit shutout late Monday afternoon as Chattanooga blanked Jacksonville 3-0 to clinch the series. The Lookouts gave up one run during the first three games against the Suns, though only one of those contests lasted nine innings.
Inclement weather shortened last Thursday's 2-0 win to six innings, and Monday afternoon's contest was a resumption of Sunday's seven-inning game. Chattanooga also had a 2-1 win in a seven-inning game that began Friday night but had to be resumed Sunday.
"Everything that we work on involves staying focused and staying pitch to pitch," Lookouts pitching coach Hector Berrios said. "If you can keep it simple, then things become a lot easier. If you start getting affected by external things like the weather and other things you can't control, you usually don't get what you're looking for in a pitcher, which is consistency.
"These kids are starting to really get into a groove and do the things you expect. They are keeping the ball down and getting their secondary pitches over the plate for strikes."
Chattanooga could not maintain its pitching dominance in Monday night's seven-inning game that was not interrupted by weather, as Jacksonville erupted for a 9-3 win. The Suns excelled at the expense of starting pitcher Duke von Schamann, who allowed four runs on five hits in five innings, and reliever Jharel Cotton, who gave up four runs without recording an out.
Santiago worked four innings Sunday before the rain invaded. It was scoreless in the bottom of the fourth when the game resumed Monday, with the Lookouts having runners on first and second bases with one out.
Bryan Evans took over at pitcher for Jacksonville and was rocked by an RBI double to left field by Jon Garcia and a two-run double to left by Miguel Rojas.
Earlier Monday, the Southern League announced that Chattanooga center fielder Joc Pederson will bat fifth and Lookouts second baseman Rafael Ynoa will bat ninth at the July 17 all-star game in Jacksonville. Pederson, who is hitting .299 and leads the league with 157 total bases, did not play this series.
"A couple of days ago he felt a little muscle stiffness," manager Jody Reed said. "We're giving him a little bit of a rest, kind of like we're doing with the pitchers. He's got a busy week coming up, so this was an opportune time to do it."
The Lookouts are off today and will open a five-game series at Mississippi on Wednesday. Zach Lee (7-5, 2.79 ERA) is scheduled to start the opener for the Lookouts, with Mitch Atkins (1-1, 2.97) scheduled for the Braves.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.