Barons Eclipse Suns in 9-1 Rout
April 13, 2014 - Southern League (SL1)
Birmingham Barons News Release
Birmingham, AL - After dropping the first two games of their opening homestand, the Barons rebounded to win the last three, earning a series victory with a 9-1 win over the Jacksonville Suns in front of 5,405 fans at Regions Field.
The Suns got on the board first, thanks in part to a rare Barons error. The leadoff batter, Austin Nola, reached on a throwing error by third baseman Chris Curley and scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by J.T. Realmuto giving the Suns an early 1-0 lead.
After tying the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second, the Baronstook the lead for good in the third on a two-run blast by Trayce Thompson, his first long ball of the season. The home run extended his hitting streak to nine games, the longest hitting streak in the Southern League so far in 2014.
Chris Curley had his second three-hit game in a row, getting two doubles and scoring a run in the sixth when Ryan Fisher threw wildly to second base on a ground ball by Jeremy Farrell to give the Barons a 4-1 lead. Curley leads the Southern League with six doubles so far this season.
Curley's run was the beginning of a four-run inning that blew the game open. Thompson had the key hit in the inning, lining a base hit to centerfield scoring two runs and Kevan Smith followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Barons a 7-1 lead.
The Barons would plate single runs in the 7th and 8th innings to take a 9-1 lead, scoring the first on a Micah Johnson base hit. Thompson led off the 8th with a ringing double off the wall in left-center and scored the final run of the game on a base hit by John Richond. Thompson finished a double short of the cycle on the afternoon and picked up his second three-hit game in the last three contests.
Starter Nick McCully (2-0, 0.00) had his second-straight stellar start to begin the season, allowing just one run (0 earned) on two hits over 5.0 IP. McCully, who had an 18.0 inning scoreless streak in 2013, has yet to allow an earned run in 10.0 IP so far in 2014.
Rehabbing White Sox INF Gordon Beckham finished 1-for-1 with a base hit and a walk in two at-bats before being removed for pinch-hitter Michael Earley.
With the win, the Barons improved to 5-5 while Jacksonville fell to3-7. The Barons head back on the road Monday to begin a five-game series against the Mobile BayBears in a rematch of the 2013 Southern League Finals. The Barons will send RHP Chris Beck (1-1, 7.20) to the hill in game one against RHP Chase Anderson (2-0, 0.00). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM from Hank Aaron Stadium on Monday.
Southern League Stories from April 13, 2014
- Generals Walk-Off with 5-4 Win over M-Braves - Jackson Generals
- Sac Fly Sinks M-Braves in 9th - Mississippi Braves
- Walk-Off Homer Lifts BayBears over Biscuits - Mobile BayBears
- Smokies Welcome Jackson for Five Game Set - Knoxville Smokies
- Barons Pour It On, Win Finale 9-1 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Barons Eclipse Suns in 9-1 Rout - Birmingham Barons
- BayBears Walk-Off to Take Series - Montgomery Biscuits
- Wahoos Finish Road Swing Strong, Win 7-5 - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Darvill, Back-To-Back Jacks Down Lookouts 8-2 - Knoxville Smokies
- Wahoos Finish Road Swing Strong, Win 7-5 - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Stars Rally Comes up Short - Huntsville Stars
- OF Jae-Hoon Ha & LHP Austin Kirk Return To Tennessee; Papaccio and Batista Transferred - Knoxville Smokies
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