Barons Blanked in First-Half Finale

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Matt Tomshaw delivered a six-inning, one-run effort, but the Birmingham Barons (27-42) closed out the first half of the Southern League season with a 1-0 loss against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (29-41) on Sunday afternoon at Regions Field.

Tomshaw (L, 2-3), who struck out eight batters in the performance, allowed just a single unearned run on three hits. The veteran left-hander suffered a tough loss as Birmingham's lineup could not string together enough offense against Jumbo Shrimp starter Sixto Sanchez.
Sanchez (W, 2-2), ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Marlins organization and No. 23 prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, scattered five hits across six scoreless frames to earn his second win at the Double-A level.
The 20-year-old right-hander, whom the Marlins acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies as the centerpiece of an exchange for catcher J.T. Realmuto, allowed just one extra-base hit and struck out four.
Yermin Mercedes and Blake Rutherford posted back-to-back base hits in the second and fourth innings, but the Barons failed to take advantage.
Rutherford owns a .371 clip at the plate across his past 10 games. Mercedes, who will represent Birmingham in the 2019 Southern League All-Star Game as a replacement, heads into the break on the back of a two-hit effort.
Rutherford's two-out double in the fourth to place runners on second and third represented the Barons' best scoring opportunity of the contest, but Sanchez induced a soft fly out off the bat of Trey Michalczewski to end the threat.
Left-hander Hunter Schryver (2.0 IP) and right-hander Mauricio Cabrera (1.0 IP) logged scoreless appearances in relief for the Barons.
Following the All-Star break, Birmingham will return to action with a five-game road series against the Chattanooga Lookouts beginning Thursday.
First pitch in the series opener is set for 6:15 p.m. CT at AT&T Field as the Barons send right-hander Blake Battenfield (2-2, 4.88) to open up the second half of the season. The game will be broadcast via WJQX-FM 100.5 and coverage will begin at 6 p.m. with the Coca-Cola Pregame Show.
- BARONS -
The Birmingham Barons are the proud Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. For ticket information, game schedule, promotions calendar or additional information about Regions Field, please visit barons.com or call (205) 988-3200.
Southern League Champions: 1906 • 1912 • 1914 • 1928 • 1929 • 1931 • 1958 • 1967 • 1983 • 1987 • 1989 • 1993 • 2002 • 2013
33-Year Double-A Affiliate of the Chicago White Sox