Barons Drop Series Opener, 8-3, to Trash Pandas on Tuesday

MADISON, Ala -- The Birmingham Barons lost 8-3 to the Rocket City Trash Pandas before 2,870 at Toyota Field on Tuesday night. The Barons trailed 5-1 midway through the game and were not really close the rest of the way.

The Barons hitters could only produce five hits and struck out 14 times in the loss. The Barons had only two extra-base hits and were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.

Starting pitcher Connor McCullough (1-7, 4.66) pitched 3.2 innings, giving up seven hits, six earned runs, and a walk with four strikeouts. Nick Altermatt pitched 1.1 innings, giving up one hit, one run, no earned runs, and no walks with a strikeout. Liam Paddack pitched one inning, giving up only a hit with three strikeouts. Jarold Rosado pitched one inning, giving up a walk with a strikeout. Carson Jacobs pitched one inning, giving up a hit, one earned run, and two walks with a strikeout.

Rocket City (18-16, 53-49) scored first in the bottom of the first inning. A Tucker Flint RBI single and a Caleb Bartolero RBI single put the Trash Pandas up 2-0 early.

Birmingham (15-19, 41-62) scored in the top of the fourth inning; Anthony DePino hit a solo home run, his 14th of the season. The Barons trailed 2-1.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Rocket City broke open the game with four runs. Four hits, three stolen bases, and a walk proved costly for the Barons' pitching in that inning. Birmingham trailed 6-1.

In the top of the fifth inning, Ryan Burrowes singled, and with two outs, Samuel Zavala doubled on a sharp line drive to center field, scoring Burrowes. The Barons trailed 6-2.

Rocket City got that run right back in the bottom half of that inning, on a Tucket Flint sacrifice fly scoring Jake Munroe, and the Barons trailed 7-2.

In the top of the eighth inning, Zavla singled, and Jordan Sprinkle reached on a fielding error. With two outs, Alec Briley hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Zavala. The Barons trailed 7-3. Rocket City scored one more run in the bottom of the eighth inning to make it 8-3.

Up next, the Barons will play Game 2 of the six-game series. RHP Drew Thorpe (0-0, 0.00), who is on an MLB rehab, will go against LHP Lucas Knowles (1-0, 6.23) for the Trash Pandas. First pitch is at 6:35 pm.