Nick Northcut. (Photo Courtesy of the Chattanooga Lookouts)
Chattanooga Lookouts first baseman Nick Northcut drilled three home runs in a 9-5 win over the Tennessee Smokies Wednesday.
Northcut was acquired from the Boston Red Sox last season on Sept. 14, 2022 in exchange for Tommy Pham after splitting his time between Double-A Portland and High-A Greenville last season. The Lookouts are the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.
Northcut was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 2018 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft in the 11th round as the 340th overall pick and played a combined 103 games between Double-A and High-A with a 428 plate appearances he batted .219 recording 87 hits, 30 home runs, 18 doubles, 75 RBI, and walking 25 times last season.
Northcut landed on the 7-day injured list on April 6, just after spring training, and was reinstated on May 3.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Smokies would get on the board first as Andy Weber singled on a ground ball to left field as BJ Murray Jr. came in to score the first run of the game.
Lookouts starting pitcher Lyon Richardson went two innings allowing three hits, one earned run, walking one batter, and striking out four.
During the top of the third inning, with the Lookouts trailing 1-0, Northcut drilled a solo home run over the left center field wall to tie the game up at one apiece.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Lookouts grabbed a 3-1 lead when Ivan Johnson cranked a two run home run over the left center field fence. The next batter, Northcut, ripped his second home run of the game over the left field wall and put the Lookouts up 4-1.
In the top of the ninth inning, the Lookouts were down by one run with one out as Johnson unleashed a solo home run to right center field to tie the game up at five.
In the top of the 11th inning with the score tied at five, Northcut came to the plate and drove his third home run of the game to right center field, scoring Cerda and Johnson as the Lookouts went up 8-5.
In the bottom of the inning, Lookouts relief pitcher Spencer Stockton struck out Owen Caissie for the final out of the game to beat the Smokies by the score of 9-5.
The Chattanooga Lookouts (25-21) will play their third and final game of the series against the Tennessee Smokies (26-21) today at 7 p.m. EDT. The game will be streamed on MiLB.com with a paid subscription.
