BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Three runs in the bottom of the first inning by the Barons propelled the home side to victory in an 11:30 AM start today at Regions Field.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Three runs in the bottom of the first inning by the Barons propelled the home side to victory in an 11:30 AM start today at Regions Field.
Matt Cooper delivered a perfect top of the first inning, and back to back walks from Eddy Alvarez and Jake Peter followed by a Nick Basto single to left loaded the bases for cleanup hitter Cameron Seitzer with no outs yet in the Barons half of the first. Seitzer knocked a sacrifice fly to center field to plate the first run of the game, and Hunter Jones clubbed a single to load the bases once again for Trey Michalczewski. BayBears catcher Josè Briceño attempted a pickoff to third base which sailed wide and allowed Peter to scamper home, making the score 2-0. Michalczewski followed up the throwing error with an RBI groundout to first which scored Basto and gave the Barons their third run of the very first inning.
Eddy Alvarez got on base for the second time in two at bats in the second inning when he roped a ball down the right field line, hustling in to second for his tenth double of the year. Jake Peter then hit a ball back up the middle off of BayBears starter Osmer Morales to add to the Baron lead of 4-0 after two innings.
Mobile responded with a two out rally in the top of the third for their first offensive break of the game. After consecutive fly outs to begin the inning, David Fletcher hit a double to left and was driven in by Forrestt Allday. Briceno drove in Allday on a single to center field to make the score 4-2. A leadoff walk in the fourth inning for Bo Way followed by his eighth stolen base of the year put a BayBear runner in scoring position, which set up Michael Hermosillo for an RBI double to bring Mobile within a run at 4-3.
From the top of the fourth on, neither team would score a run, as the Barons employed a three man bullpen combination of Ian Hamilton, Scott Snodgress, and Brandon Brennan to shut down the visiting side over the last five innings. Hamilton tossed two full innings while giving up three hits while walking one and striking out two. Snodgress fired an inning and a third of work allowing another three hits but no runs, and added two punch outs to his season tally. Brennan threw the last five outs of the game perfect, not allowing a single runner to reach and striking out four opponents, a new season high for Brennan as he earned his sixth save on the season in six attempts.
Brennan stated after the game, "I don't think I've ever struck out four in a row in pro ball, so that might have been a first for me there. I'm usually a contact guy; I don't really pitch for strikeouts. If I get strikeouts it's a plus for me, but my biggest deal is going out there to get ground balls. That's my number one priority."
Ian Hamilton earned his first win of the season in the Baron victory to move to 1-2 on the year. Matt Cooper was handed a no decision after his four innings of work today as he gave up 3 runs on six hits while walking three and striking out three BayBears.
The Barons will play the last of the five games against the Mobile BayBears at Regions Field, tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. CT. Left-hander Jordan Guerrero will take the ball for the Barons, while righty Grayson Long will toe the slab for the BayBears in the series finale. Curt Bloom will bring you all the action starting with the Coca-Cola pregame show starting at 6:55 p.m. on 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.
