Barons Give up 3 Runs in 9th and Lose 8-7 to Smokies

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SL Birmingham Barons

Barons Give up 3 Runs in 9th and Lose 8-7 to Smokies

May 31, 2025 - Southern League (SL)
Birmingham Barons News Release


After leading by two runs in the ninth inning, the Birmingham Barons dropped a heartbreaking 8-7 walk-off to the Knoxville Smokies before 5,874 on Friday night. The Barons led most of the game, pounding out 13 hits, but were only 4-for-19 with runners in scoring position, along with the bullpen not hanging onto the leads late in the game.

Tommy Vail made his Double-A debut and went 5.1 innings, giving up five hits, two earned runs, and two walks with six strikeouts. The Barons' bullpen has been pretty good this season, but ran into some trouble in this game. Jarred Kelley was called into duty first, where he pitched 1.2 innings, giving up 1.2 innings, one hit, no earned runs, and one walk with three strikeouts. Max Roberts pitched the eighth inning, pitching one inning, giving up one hit, two earned runs, and two walks. In the ninth inning, Eric Adler pitched .2 of an inning, giving up four hits, three earned runs, and one walk with one strikeout.

The Barons' offense usually did enough in a game, but still came up short. The Barons took the lead in the top of the third inning when Ryan Galanie's single scored Rikuu Kishida, and the Barons took the early 1-0 lead. In the top of the fourth inning, Caden Connor triples on a line drive to center field, scoring Jacob Gonzalez, and the Barons led 2-0. Jacob Burke hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Connor, and the Barons took a 3-0 lead.

Knoxville came back in the bottom of the fifth and scored two runs on a Pedro Ramirz ground out, and a Corey Joyce RBI single. In the bottom of the sixth inning, a wild pitch by Jared Kelley scored Ethan Hearn, and the game was tied at 3-3. Gonzalez hit a RBI double on a sharp line drive to right field, scoring Galanie, and the Barons took a 4-3 lead. In the top of the eighth inning, a RBI double by Nishida down the left field line scored Burke, and the Barons led 5-3.

BJ Murray hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the game was tied at 5-5. In the top of the ninth inning, recent call-up catcher Calvin Harris hit a RBI double to right field, scoring Mario Camilletti and Burke, and the Barons led 7-5 going into the bottom of the ninth inning. A Murray RBI single, a Pablo Aliendo RBI single, and an Ethan Hearn walk-off single gave the Smokies the 8-7 win.

For the Barons, Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. William Bergolla went 3-for-5 in the game. Nishida had two hits with an RBI and a run scored.

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Southern League Stories from May 31, 2025


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