Barons Outlast Blue Wahoos 16-13 in 8 Innings on Thursday Night

The Birmingham Barons outlasted the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 16-13 in eight innings before 3,723 at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Thursday night. The game started at 6:06 pm and, due to rain, ended at 1:00 am on Friday morning. The game was delayed three hours and 40 minutes.

The Barons (26-40) came back twice in the game and pounded out 17 hits in the road win. The Barons had three players with three hits and hit three home runs. Birmingham leads the series 2-1.

As the Barons hitters had a feast on the hitting side, the Barons pitching staff didn't have that much luck. Starting pitcher Lucas Gordon pitched 4.2 innings, giving up four hits, five runs, four earned runs, and four walks with six strikeouts. Aric McAtee failed to get an out as he gave up three hits, five earned runs, and two hits. Carson Jacobs (1-2, 5.59) gets the win in relief, going 1.1 innings, four hits, two earned runs, and a walk. Morris Austin gets his first save of the season, going two innings, three hits, one earned run, and two walks with a strikeout.

Pensacola (33-33) scored first in the game on an RBI single by Juan Matheus, scoring Aiva Arquette. The Blue Wahoos took the early 1-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth inning, Caleb Bonemer singled, and Anthony DePino doubled to put runners on third and second base. Dylan Campbell doubled on a line drive down the left field line, scoring Benemer and DePino. The Barons took a 2-1 lead. A Colby Shelton RBI single scored Campbell, and the Barons led 3-1.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Barons score three more runs. T.J. McCants singled, and Jacob Burke singled. Next batter, Alec Briley hit a three-run home run, his 13th on the season, and the Barons led 6-1.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Blue Wahoos sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 10 runs, and Pensacola led 11-6 after five innings.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Barons made another big comeback, scoring seven runs to take back the lead. Grant Magill hit a solo home run. T.J. McCants followed with another solo home run to center field. With two outs, Burke singled, and Bonemer walked. DePino singled, scoring Burke. The Barons trailed 11-9. Campbell reached on a fielding error when his ball went down the left field line, scoring Bonemer and DePino on the play. The game was tied at 11-11. Shelton singled, scoring Campbell, and the Barons led 12-11. Magill singled, scoring Shelton, and the Barons led 13-11.

Pensacola scored in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Dillon Lewis solo home run. The Barons lead was 13-12. In the top of the seventh inning, Burke walked. Burke went to third base on a wild pitch and a balk. Bonemer ground ball, scored Burke, and the Barons led 14-12.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Garret Forrester hit a solo home run, and the Barons lead was 14-13. In the top of the eighth inning, Campbell walked. Shelton singled. A double steal puts runners at third and second base. Magill singled, scoring Campbell and Shelton, and the Barons led 16-13.

In the bottom of the eighth inning with Austin on the mound for Birmingham, Ignoffo singled. Cristian Hernandez hit into a double play. Payton Green walked, and Austin struck out Forrester to close out the game.

For the Barons, Shelton had three hits, two runs scored, and two RBI. Magill had three hits, a run scored, and four RBI. Briley had two hits and three RBI.

Up next, the Barons will face the Blue Wahoos in Game 4 of the six-game series. RHP Connor McCullough (0-3, 3.99 will face RHP Orlando Ortiz-Mary (0-2, 6.49). First pitch is at 6:05 pm.