Collaro, Barons nip Suns in Classic
The matinee was played at Rickwood Field, the home of the Barons from 1910-86. Since 1996, the team has played one game a year at its old residence.
This year's Rickwood Classic commemorated Birmingham's time as an affiliate of the Kansas City A's (1964-65), which coincided with Southern League's first two seasons. The Barons wore their gold road uniforms from that era, while the Suns (29-24) donned the uniforms of their 1967 team, which featured Nolan Ryan.
Jason Bourgeois led off the decisive eighth inning with a single, stole second, and moved to third on Jeremy West's infield single. Collaro followed with a sacrifice fly, marking the second time in as many seasons that he hit a late-inning sac fly to give the Barons a 3-2 victory in the Rickwood Classic.
Collaro's RBI made a winner of Ryan Wing (2-1), who had tossed a scoreless eighth. Fernando Hernandez worked a 1-2-3 ninth and picked up his second save. Starter Gio Gonzalez was impressive over seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits while whiffing eight. The 21-year-old's 82 strikeouts on the season are the most in the league, while his 3.17 ERA is tied for the circuit's eighth best.
Xavier Paul's two-run homer in the third accounted for Jacksonville's offense. Birmingham answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame, as Bourgeois and West hit back-to-back two-out RBI singles to forge a 2-2 tie.
Ramon Troncoso (0-1) took the loss, allowing a run on two hits in 1 1/3 innings. Starter Joey Norrito held his own against Gonzalez, yielding two runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 frames. -- Benjamin Hill/MLB.com