BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - On a record setting night attendance wise for the Birmingham Barons, the home side dropped a 4-1 decision on Monday night.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - On a record setting night attendance wise for the Birmingham Barons, the home side dropped a 4-1 decision on Monday night.
While both sides were locked in a 1-1 deadlock from the seventh inning on, it was a three spot for the Biloxi Shuckers in the top of the 12th inning in front of 8,672 fans that spelled victory for the road team.
Both teams were held scoreless through six, as the highly anticipated pitching duel between Barons starter Jordan Stephens and Biloxi right hander Corbin Burnes lived up to the hype. Burnes blanked Birmingham in his six innings of work, giving up five hits while striking out five and not walking a batter in his 83 pitches on the night. Stephens matched his counterpart punch for punch, giving up one run on four hits and five strike outs while allowing a single walk.
Biloxi opened the scoring in the top of the seventh inning when catcher Jacob Nottingham was hit by a pitch to open up the frame. He was moved to third on a single from Dustin DeMuth, which knocked Stephens out of the game as he was replaced by Brandon Brennan. Brennan induced a ground ball to short from Gabriel Noriega, but a throwing error from Birmingham second baseman Jose Vinicio while attempting to turn the double play allowed Nottingham to score from third and gave the Shuckers a 1-0 lead.
Fresh off the seventh inning stretch, the Barons were recharged as they were able to match the visitors in the run department in the inning. Trey Michalszewski led the frame off with his third double of the year and was moved to third on a ground out off the bat of Courtney Hawkins, who was making his first start since being activated from the Disabled List on Monday afternoon. Jeff Gelalich came up clutch for Birmingham when he dropped a two out single in to shallow left field to score Michalszewski and knot the game up at 1 through 7 innings full.
Both bullpens remained solid as the game stretched into extra innings, with neither side allowing a run from the eighth until the top of the 12th when Biloxi was able to strike again on the scoreboard. Jace Fry came on in relief on Robinson Leyer in the frame, and he hit Clint Coulter to kick things off in the tie game. Noriega roped a single up the middle to put two runners on for Javier Betancourt who clubbed his second triple of the year to score both runners and give Biloxi a 3-1 lead. Johnny Davis dropped a bunt single that was misplayed by Fry that scored Betancourt and put an extra insurance run on the board, and the score would hold at 4-1 after the Barons struck out three times in their last trip to the dish in the 12th.
The Barons travel to Jackson, Tennessee to take on the Generals in a five game set, with the first game taking place Tuesday night at 6:05 p.m. CST. Righty Michael Kopech will be on the mound for the Barons, while fellow righty Brad Keller will oppose him for the Generals. Curt Bloom will bring you all the action starting with the Coca-Cola pregame show starting at 5:55 p.m. on 105.5 FM WERC and the iHeart Radio app.
For ticket information, game schedule, promotions calendar or for additional information about Regions Field, call (205) 988-3200, or visit www.barons.com, www.facebook.com/birminghambarons or on Twitter: @bhambarons.
