Matt Magill started for the Lookouts Thursday night and pitched six strong innings in a 5-3 road victory over the Huntsville Stars. Magill didn’t give up an earned run, while striking out five, as Chattanooga evened its series with the Stars at one game apiece.
Magill’s only blemish came in the first inning, when a walk and single followed two quick outs. With runners on first and third, first baseman Luis Nunez committed an error to let an unearned run score, and the Lookouts trailed early. That would be all Magill would surrender, though, while the offense battled back.
Rafael Ynoa, who went 2-for-3 on Thursday, singled and eventually scored to tie the game in the third inning.
The Lookouts took the lead for good in the fifth inning when Ynoa drove in Magill, who had doubled with two outs. Then in the seventh, Chattanooga added three more to pull away. J.T. Wise drove in two with a pinch-hit double, then later scored the team’s final run on a squeeze play, benefitting from a Nick Buss sacrifice bunt.
In an unfamiliar role, Chris Withrow, who’s been primarily a starter, was brought in to relieve Magill in the seventh. He went 1.2 innings, giving up two runs, but didn’t allow the lead to slip away.
Steve Ames got the last out in the eighth and pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his ninth save of the season.
The Lookouts will play their third in a five-game series in Huntsville Friday night. The team returns to AT&T Field next Wednesday for a three-game series with Pensacola.