Chattanooga Lookouts catcher Chris O'Brien gets tagged out by Mobile BayBears third baseman Jake Lamb as he slides into third Tuesday at AT&T Field.The Chattanooga Lookouts entered Tuesday night with the worst record in Southern League baseball, but they were not shortchanged earlier in the day when the North Division all-stars were announced.
Outfielder Scott Schebler and infielder Darnell Sweeney received invitations, as well as starting pitchers Tyson Brummett and Chris Reed. Outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker would have given the Lookouts five representatives for the June 17 game at AT&T Field, but he was promoted to Triple-A Albuquerque last Wednesday.
"That's a lot of guys on our team for being dead last," Lookouts pitching coach Scott Radinsky said.
The Lookouts (24-35) defeated visiting Mobile 4-2 Tuesday night before a crowd of 2,270. The BayBears took a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning, but Schebler drove in a run to tie it and Noel Cuevas ripped a triple to right field that scored Schebler and Chris O'Brien.
Schebler and Sweeney earned invitations in their first Double-A seasons, with Schebler having earned all-star recognition last year in the high Single-A California League. He entered Tuesday night third in the league in home runs (11), fourth in total bases (107) and tied for first in triples (seven).
Sweeney entered Tuesday fourth in the league in hitting with a .324 average.
"This was one of my goals coming into the season, and I just thank God every day for giving me the opportunity to play here," Sweeney said. "Scott and I came in here knowing that Double-A pitching was the equivalent to major league pitching, and this kind of shows that we can hang out with the big dogs."
Brummett is 4-5 with a 2.38 earned run average through 11 starts, while Reed is 3-3 with a 3.18 ERA through 12 starts. Reed's 75 strikeouts led the league entering Tuesday night.
"They're both deserving," Radinsky said. "They've both worked really hard and have gotten off to good starts. I guess they're being rewarded."
Huntsville led the North Division with eight all-star selections, followed by six from Tennessee, five from the Lookouts, four from Birminghan and two from Jackson. Schebler, Sweeney, Brummett and Reed will be managed at the all-star game by Lookouts manager Razor Shines, who was named to that role Monday.
"It's always an honor to make an all-star team," Shines said. "I think they got it right with those guys."
The Lookouts will play their final home game of the first half this morning at 11:15.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.