Barons' Pitching Shines Bright in 2-0 Victory Over Smokies

KNOXVILLE, Tenn -- Dylan Cumming pitched six shutout innings as the Birmingham Barons got the 2-0 win over the Knoxville Smokies before 3,338 at Covenant Health Park on Wednesday night. Back on May 10 at Knoxville, Cumming turned in another six-inning shutout against the Smokies and turned the trick again tonight. With the win, the Barons have won three games in a row and have won the first two games in this series.

Cumming (1-3, 5.64) gets his first win of the season, giving up four hits, no runs, and three walks with four strikeouts. Jacob Heatherly pitched a scoreless seventh inning, giving up one hit and a walk with a strikeout. Phil Fox gets his first save of the season, going two innings and getting two strikeouts. Fox has lowered his ERA to 1.86 on the season.

Birmingham (21-31) scored the only runs in the top of the third inning. With two outs, Colby Shelton hit a home run to right field, and the Barons took the early 1-0 lead.

Alec Makarewicz followed with a single to center field. On a Smokies passed ball, Makarewicz moved to second on the play. Anthony DePino singled on a line drive to right field, scoring Makarewicz. The Barons led 2-0.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Knoxville (26-26) had two runners on base with only one out, but the Barons' defense got out of the inning on a Carter Trice lineout into a double play started by shortstop Jordan Sprinkle. Sprinkle caught the line drive and flipped to Shelton for the double play, and the Smokies' scoring threat ended.

Barons pitching dominated for much of the game. This is the second shutout by Birmingham this season. For the Barons, the Barons only had five hits in the win. Zavala had a hit and two walks. He leads the Southern League in walks this season.

Up next in Game 3, the Barons will send LHP Jake Palisch (1-3, 4.35) to the mound as the Smokies have RHP Connor Schutlz (0-1, 4.32). First pitch is at 7:00 pm (ET).