Twins Minor League Report (9/12): Polanco Blast Not Enough

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 5, Montgomery 6 (11 innings)

Box Score

The Lookouts got out to an early lead and got a strong start. The game was tied in the later innings and there was bonus baseball in Chattanooga on Saturday night. The team fell behind in the 10^th but got a huge, clutch homer to send it to the 11^th. Unfortunately, they did not have a second comeback and fell to the Biscuits.

With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Jorge Polanco singled and Max Kepler walked. A Travis Harrison single drove in Polanco. Kepler advanced to third and Harrison took second base on the throw. Dalton Hicks came up next and drove in both runners with a single. The Lookouts had a 3-0 lead.

That was it for the Lookout scoring, at least for a long while.

Jason Wheeler started and threw well. The left-hander worked six innings and gave up just one run on three hits. He walked two and struck out five. Nick Burdi came on and gave up two really quick runs to tie the game in the seventh. However, Burdi settled down and finished two innings, allowing just the two runs and striking out four. JT Chargois came in and threw a scoreless ninth inning.

Bonus Baseball in Tennessee for the playoffs. Chargois came out again for the tenth frame. In it, he gave up two runs before getting the third out. Things looked bleak, but in the bottom half of the 10^th inning, Shannon Wilkerson led off with a walk. He rounded the bases when Jorge Polanco blasted a long home run to tie the game at five.

Brandon Peterson came on for the 11^th inning. The Savage, Minnesota, native really struggled with his control. He walked the first two batters. After a sacrifice bunt, there was another walk to load the bases. Unfortunately, a blooper to center dropped out of Jorge Polanco’s glove and one run scored. Peterson then coaxed a double play, but the damage had been done.

The Lookouts went 1, 2, 3 in the bottom of the 11^th inning.

Polanco went 2-5 with the home run. Adam Brett Walker doubled in his first at-bat before striking out in his final four at-bats. The Lookouts also had four errors in the game.

The series is tied at one game apiece and now head back to Montgomery. That is where games three and four, and if necessary, game five, will be played.

At 6:20 (central time) on Sunday, the teams will play Game 3. Right-hander Greg Peavey will take the ball for the Lookouts.