Barons Bats Score Ten Unanswered Runs for Game 1 Win

The Birmingham Barons (32-38) started off the second half of the season with an incredible comeback win, beating the Chattanooga Lookouts (34-36) by a score of 12-9. RHP Theo Denlinger (1-1) earned the win in relief with LHP Sam Peralta (3-3) picking up the save.

The Barons opened the scoring with a solo home run by Raudy Read in the top of the third for his ninth of the year. The Lookouts offense responded shortly in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single from Quintana, while their defense plagued the Barons with inning-ending double plays to prevent further runs.

Craig Dedelow tacked on an additional run in the top of the sixth to reclaim the Barons lead with an RBI triple to score D.J. Burt. Scott Blewett, starting for the Barons, threw for five innings only allowing the singular run before RHP Yoelvin Silven replaced him on the mound in the bottom of the sixth. The Lookouts quickly jumped on the new pitcher, recording an astonishing three straight home runs to take their first lead of the game. LHP Trey Jeans was then called in to replace Silven, but would go on to face similar struggles against the Chattanooga offense and allow two additional runs to score off RBI singles, bringing the Lookouts lead to 8-2. Chattanooga wasn’t done with Barons pitchers yet; RHP Taylor Broadway would allow the fourth home run for the home team to stretch the Lookouts lead to 9-2.

Despite the bleak outlook going into the top of the eighth, the Barons clawed back into the contest with back to back RBI singles from Tyler Neslony and Dedelow to close the gap to 9-4 off of Chattanooga pitcher, RHP Ryan Nutof. RHP Pedro Garcia entered the game in relief of Nutof, but quickly allowed Alex Destino’s fifth home run of the year that brought in three runs to bring the score to 9-7 and the Barons ended the inning having batted around the lineup.

The top of the ninth saw Jose Rodriguez, Dedelow, and Moises Castillo reaching base and bringing Destino back to the plate. In a play that, for all intents and purposes, should have ended the inning, a short fly ball to shallow left field managed to evade Lookouts’ third baseman and left fielder and allowed Rodriguez and Dedelow to score, tying the game. RHP Theo Denlinger came in during the home half of the ninth, holding off any further Chattanooga offense and sending the game to extras.

RHP Ricky Salinas entered the game for Chattanooga in the tenth with Luis Curbelo as the extra base runner on second. While the right hander cut down Muno and Burt on swinging strikeouts, Evan Skoug and Rodriguez reached base on walks and the stage was set for Neslony’s final at bat; with two outs and the bases loaded, he doubled (24) on a sharp fly ball to center field that cleared the bases and brought the Barons in front, 12-9.

LHP Sam Peralta came in in the bottom of the tenth and made quick work of the Lookouts batters to complete the comeback and earn his fourth save of the season.

The action returns to AT&T Field tomorrow at 7:15 p.m./ET with RHP Emilio Vargas getting the start for Birmingham.