Barons Make It 10 in a Row with Win over Smokies
Published on May 9, 2013 under Southern League (SL1)
Birmingham Barons News Release
Birmingham, AL - The Birmingham Barons pushed their winning streak to 10 games Thursday afternoon, defeating the Tennessee Smokies 9-7 in yet another high scoring, back-and-forth affair in front of 6,497 fans at Smokies Park. The win streak matches the Barons longest over the past 22 seasons, having also won 10 games in a row in 2009 and 1992.
After playing 14 innings on Wednesday, both team's pitching staffs were gasping for air and the hitters took advantage as the Smokies led 6-5 in the 4th inning. The Barons would score single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to briefly take the lead at 7-6 but the Smokies would come back again with a run in the 8th on an Elliot Soto double to tie the score at 7-7.
The Barons captured the lead for good in the ninth on an RBI double by Miguel Gonzalez. He would advance to third on a throwing error on the play and scored an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Cody Puckett to give the Barons a 9-7 lead they would not relinquish. Puckett finished 3-fo-4 with two RBI and a run scored on the day and is hitting .611 (11-for-18) with nine runs scored and 10 RBI over his last four games.
Wes Whisler was the pitcher of the day for the Barons, tossing 2.2 shutout innings and settling things down after starter Nick McCully and Ryan Buch struggled through the first four innings of the game. The win went to Kevin Vance (1-1, 2.55) who also blew a save by allowing the tying run in the 8th . It was the second blown save in two days for the Barons after converting nine in a row to begin the season.
The win pushed the Barons record to 23-10, second best in Minor League Baseball and gave them a 7.5 game lead over the second place Smokies in the Southern League North division. The loss went to Trey McNutt who allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits over 2.0 innings as the Smokies fell to 15-17.
The Barons will look for their 11th -straight win and fourth in a row against the Smokies tomorrow as LHP Scott Snodgress (4-1, 4.25) takes the hill against LHP Erik Jokisch (3-2, 3.34). First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 PM CDT.
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