Barons Shake off Slow Start, End Night in Style with Win
August 2, 2019 - Southern League (SL1)
Birmingham Barons News Release
PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Birmingham Barons (50-58) found their stride with a big sixth inning, en route to an 8-5 victory Friday night over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (58-53) at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Struggling to find a foothold in the game, the Barons woke up in the sixth inning and broke out in a big way. After two walks to get their first baserunners of the night, outfielder Luis Basabe snuck in a line drive on the left field line for a double and the first Barons hit. It brought in Zach Remillard and Alfredo Gonzalez and the Barons led 2-1.
Later, Blake Rutherford singled up the middle to score Basabe before Gavin Sheets stepped to the dish. Sheets, who was tied for the Southern League lead in RBI, belted a towering two-run homer to right center field. The homer, his 14th of the season and RBI No. 70, capped off a five-run inning and put Birmingham on top 5-1.
The Blue Wahoos would come back a few times to make it close, but each time the Barons had the answer. After Wahoos outfielder Trevor Larnach hit a two-run homer in the sixth to make it 5-3, Rutherford answered with a sacrifice fly in the eighth to make it 6-3.
Then only leading 6-5, the Barons got two huge insurance runs in the top of the ninth on a solo home run from Damek Tomscha and an RBI single from Laz Rivera to get back a three-run cushion.
Pensacola made it close again in the eighth inning off Barons reliever Danny Dopico. Ivan De Jesus singled up the middle to score Ryan Jeffers and Joe Cronin walked with the bases loaded on a very close pitch.
Barons third baseman Ti'Quan Forbes made a fantastic sliding snag on a Royce Lewis grounder and his throw to first was dug out nicely by Sheets for the final out of the inning to prevent the Wahoos from tying the game.
Early on, it was all Blue Wahoos and starter Jhoan Duran. Duran carried a perfect game through the first five innings and mowed through the Barons lineup. Pensacola got on the board first in the fourth inning, when first baseman Ryan Costello hit his second homer of the season to put them up 1-0.
It got tough for Duran in the sixth after the walks and extra-base hits. Duran completed the inning but finished the night at six innings and 84 pitches.
Barons starter Matt Tomshaw, coming off a fantastic month of July, earned his fifth win of the season. Closer Codi Heuer earned five-out save and now leads the team with six close outs.
Rutherford had been mashing against the Blue Wahoos coming in and only solidified that notion Friday. Rutherford's two RBI and base hit Friday brought his total to nine hits, eight RBI and a .391 average against the Wahoos this season.
Tomscha's blast in the ninth kept his hot hitting going. Over his last 11 games including tonight, Tomscha now has three home runs, 12 RBI and 18 hits.
With his double, Basabe has now hit in four-straight games and is batting .400 over his last six games with seven RBI and eight runs scored in that span.
Birmingham will continue their series with Pensacola Saturday evening, starting at 6:05 p.m. Left-hander John Parke (3-1, 2.57) will start and make his eighth appearance with the Barons.
WJQX-FM 100.5 will be the home of the Barons on Saturday. Fans can tune into the Coca-Cola Pregame Show starting at 5:50 p.m.
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Southern League Stories from August 2, 2019
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- Shrimp Fall to Shuckers 7-2 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
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- Lookouts End Short Win Streak - Chattanooga Lookouts
- V for Victory: Varsho Guides Generals to 4-1 Triumph - Jackson Generals
- Generals Gameday: August 2 vs. Mobile - Jackson Generals
- Robert, Tomshaw Named White Sox MiLB Players of the Month - Birmingham Barons
- Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp: Game Notes, August 2 at Biloxi - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Pavin Smith Named Southern League Player of the Month - SL1
- Jumbo Shrimp Homestand Highlights August 7-11 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- De Jesus' Inside-the-Park Homer Key in Blue Wahoos' Win - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
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