Barons Drop Smokies Series Finale 9-2

The Barons lost the final bout of a six game set to the Smokies 9-2. After a clean first inning, Jason Bilous encountered a great deal of trouble in the second. The right-handed pitcher allowed five runs on five hits. That second inning was rocky enough to boot him from the game with a final stat line of 2.0 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, BB, 2 SO. It's his shortest start of the season, and ties his shortest career start.

From there, Birmingham was playing from behind. They could not get much going until the fifth inning when Tyler Neslony belted a 435 foot two-run home run to deep right field. That plated D.J. Burt, who made his first start for the Barons. For Neslony, it was his sixth long ball of the season.

In the prior half-inning, the Smokies posted another four runs, all charged to Garrett Davila, who needed Declan Cronin to come in to finish the fifth. The silver lining for the Barons was Cronin, though. The righty went 2.2 IP, only allowing one hit. It's the longest, and most effective outing of his Birmingham career.

Cronin and Sammy Peralta posted zeroes until the ninth inning when the Barons tried to piece together a comeback, but came up short. Lenyn Sosa tripled to right field to bring in a run, and then scored himself after a wild pitch.

Birmingham begins their road trip in Biloxi on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 CT.