Elko Erupts in 5-3 Victory Over Chattanooga

The Birmingham Barons emerged victorious over the Chattanooga Lookouts in Game 1 by a score of 5-3. In the victory, the Barons collected nine hits and used a total of five pitchers. The most prolific Baron of the night was Tim Elko finishing 3-4 with a run, four RBI and his fifth home run of the season for Birmingham.

Elko’s impact started in the top of the second, however, the Lookouts were the first to jump on the scoreboard. Chattanooga scored Blake Dunn on a wild pitch by LHP Ky Bush to capture the early lead.

Elko did not let the Lookouts celebrate the lead for too long as he smacked a two-run shot into left center field. The University of Mississippi alum tallied his fifth home run with the Barons and scored Edgar Quero along the way.

Chattanooga did their best to respond after Elko’s home run by securing one of their own to tie the ballgame. Matheu Nelson for the Lookouts smacked his third homer with the club this season to bring the score to two apiece. Chattanooga tallied the next score of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Lookouts Tyler Callihan singled on a line drive to right field to steal the lead in the fifth and scored Austin Callahan.

At the end of the fifth, Bush’s night ended with the Barons opting for LHP Garrett Schoenle to kick off the bottom of the sixth. Bush finished his 5.0 innings pitched with six hits, three earned runs, two walks, one home run and five strikeouts as well as his third win with the club.

Before Schoenle took the mound, Wilfred Veras and Elko added two runs to the Barons total. In the top of the sixth, the Barons collected their two runs from a Veras double that scored Bryan Ramos and an Elko single that scored Veras. Wilfred was the lone other Barons to tally an RBI on the night, he also finished the night 2-4 with two runs and a double.

Schoenle protected Birmingham’s lead in his lone inning of work in which he allowed two walks and struck out one. The left-hander turned over the mound to the first RHP of the game in Adisyn Coffey for the seventh.

In the seventh, Coffey continued to keep the Lookouts off the board in his sole inning of work. The right-hander finished the night with zero hits, zero runs and one walk in three batters faced.

The Barons rewarded the two bullpen hurlers with Elko’s fourth and final RBI of the night in the top of the eighth inning. In the eighth, Elko achieved his fourth RBI on his third hit of the night on a single to right field that scored Veras.

Birmingham now had a two-run lead and used two more pitchers on the night to keep it that way in LHP Jonah Scolaro and RHP Tristan Stivors.

Scolaro was tasked with the bottom of the eighth inning and was able to sit down the Lookouts in three batters. The southpaw did so with two strikeouts in his 1.0 innings pitched. Stivors was tasked with the ninth and secured his first save of the season for the Barons. In the righties sole inning of work, he allowed one hit and one walk.

Birmingham kicked off their final series of the 2023 season with a win. The Barons now turn their efforts to Game 2 against Chattanooga on Wednesday, September 13th, where they will toss RHP Josimar Cousin out on the bump.