Blue Wahoos Rally, Then Lose In 10th On Walkoff Heartbreaker
The Blue Wahoos held leads three times Sunday in effort to break a losing streak against the Birmingham Barons.In each case, prosperity was short-lived.For the third time in this series, the Blue Wahoos suffered a walk-off loss, but the one Sunday occurred in the most bizarre way, after reliever Zack
The Blue Wahoos held leads three times Sunday in effort to break a losing streak against the Birmingham Barons.
In each case, prosperity was short-lived.
For the third time in this series, the Blue Wahoos suffered a walk-off loss, but the one Sunday occurred in the most bizarre way, after reliever
It became the fourth consecutive loss for the Blue Wahoos (9-9 second half), after they entered the road trip on a six-game win streak.
The Barons (13-5 second half), who had the Southern League's worst record in the first half, won their eighth consecutive home game, their 11th overall in the past 12 games.
Birmingham's eight-game home win streak is the club's longest in six years. The Barons and Blue Wahoos will play again Monday and Tuesday as part of a six-game series.
The Blue Wahoos loss continued their recent struggles on the road. They have now lost 12 of their last 14 road games.
They seemed in position for a breakthrough Sunday. Trailing 4-2 in the ninth, they tied the game with singles.
After Blue Wahoos' reliever
In the 10th,
Weiss started the bottom of the 10th in relief of Lujan. He walked
Weiss then got
One out away from a win, calamity ensued. Weiss' pitch got away from catcher
The game began three hours earlier with Kirilloff blasting a first-inning, solo home run, his second in three days.
Blue Wahoos pitcher
The Blue Wahoos regained the lead in the fifth inning when Joe Cronin's double was followed by Jordan Gore's one-out double.
But in the sixth inning, the Barons knocked Barnes out of the game after Booker and Rutherford singled and Sheets hit a run-scoring double.
It stayed 4-2 until the eventful ninth and 10th innings.
Four Blue Wahoos players had multiple hits among the team's 12 for the game. Blankenhorn, Diaz, Contreras and Cronin all had two hits. Eight of the Blue Wahoos batters reached base at least once in the game.
The vital statistic again was the Blue Wahoos finishing the game 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
The series continues Monday at 7:05 p.m. with the Blue Wahoos'
The good news for the Blue Wahoos is their road woes haven't cost a big drop in the standings. Jacksonville (10-8) leads the South Division, but the other four teams are within three games. Pensacola and Biloxi are tied for second with 9-9 records.