Barons Drop 10th Straight in 8-6 Loss to Rocket City
May 20, 2023 - Southern League (SL)
Birmingham Barons News Release
The Birmingham Barons entered Game 1 against the Rocket City Trash Pandas ready to turn around their losing streak before it got to double digits. Despite an early jump out of the gates to take the lead, the Barons could not hold off the Trash Pandas. Birmingham dropped their 10th straight game in a 8-6 loss to Rocket City.
The Barons were able to get a great start out of the gates in a Luis Mieses two-RBI double in the top of the first. Mieses' double moved his season total to eight and moved him further in the lead for two-baggers on the team. Birmingham wanted to start fast, but now they needed to protect it.
The Barons were to protect the lead; however, the Trash Pandas were able to get one run in the bottom of the first. Even though the damage was minimal, the Barons knew they were going to be in a dog fight.
The Birmingham offense ran dry in the second and was not able to pad the lead. The combination of that and the one Rocket City player they didn't want to allow to get going, the Barons found themselves in a tricky situation.
Rocket City's Tucker Flint in his nine-games against the Barons has crushed them going 12-26 with two home runs. Flint may have come into the game with two home runs, but he left the game with three as he sent a two-run homer towering over the center-field wall.
The Barons were only down one after the momentum shifting swing, however, would find themselves down two more with Rocket City piling on the runs. The Trash Pandas tallied two runs in the bottom of the third inning on a two-RBI double. The double wouldn't just add to their lead, but end Barons starting RHP Cristian Mena's night early.
Mena finished the contest with 3.0 IP allowing three hits, five runs, three earned runs, four walks, a home run and struck out four.
Birmingham had to turn to their bullpen earlier than they would have hoped, and the Trash Pandas were able to take advantage of that. Rocket City smashed a solo homer to continue their energy grab in the bottom of the fifth.
The Barons were able to muster up a tattooed ball from Adam Hackenberg that counted for two-runs and cut the deficit to a mere two runs. The Trash Pandas were not going to let the Barons back into the affair as they matched with their own two-run homer.
Birmingham was able to scrape together two more runs in the top of the ninth, however that was not enough.
The Barons knew entering a series with a 1-9 record in their last 10 would be challenging, nevertheless playing a team you won one of six games against previously. Birmingham has figured out how to beat Rocket City once, and at this point they only need one to get things going in the right direction.
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