Barons Hang on Late for 4-3 Win over Blue Wahoos

The Birmingham Barons edged out the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 4-3 before 3,618 at Regions Field on Sunday. With the Barons leading by one run in the top of the ninth and a runner on first base, Shane Sasaki doubled as DJ Gladney tried to dive for a ball that rolled to the fence. With the Blue Wahoos catcher Sam Prator rounding the bases, Gladney gets to his feet, and throws a strike to Rikuu Nishida, who threw a dart home to Adam Hackenberg and a tag on Prator that saved the win for the Barons. Jared Serna flies out to center field with two outs, and the Barons take the win.

LHP Hagen Smith goes his career-long of six innings, only giving up four hits, no runs, and two walks with six strikeouts. A recent call-up, Jared Kelley, struck out a Blue Wahoo with two runners in scoring position in the ninth. Peyton Pallette gets his fourth save of the season, giving up two hits with a strikeout.

The Barons took an early lead in the bottom of the second inning. Jacob Gonzalez walked, and Mario Camilletti took a ball deep over the right field fence, giving the Barons a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the third inning, Caden Connor singles and Gonzalez homers to right field and the Barons led 4-0.

Pensaloca jumped back in the game in the top of the seventh inning on a Praytor walk, scoring a run. Sasaki singled home a run, and Serna hit a sacrifice fly to put Pensacola back in the game at 4-3.

For the Barons, Conner had two hits and a run while Camilletti and Gonzalez hit two-run home runs to lead Birmingham. With the win, Birmingham and Pensacola tied the series at 3-3 in the six games. Next, Birmingham travels to Columbus, Georgia, to face the Clingstones for a six-game series.