Barons Shut out Trash Pandas 6-0 on Friday Night
August 2, 2025 - Southern League (SL)
Birmingham Barons News Release
The Birmingham Barons shutout the Rocket City Trash Pandas 6-0 before 5,812 at Toyota Field on Friday night. The Barons have shutout the Trash Pandas three times in the current six-game series and have only given up three runs in their last 44 innings, a stretch that started back against Montgomery on Sunday.
Barons' pitching has dominated all of minor league baseball as Birmingham has the second-best 2.86 ERA. Only the Hudson Valley Renegades have a better ERA at 2.76 in all of the minor leagues.
Recent rehab call-up Connor McCullough got his first start for the Barons this season. He threw just 54 pitches, going 4.0 innings and giving up only one hit with four strikeouts. Winning pitcher Jake Palisch (6-3, 1.80), who has the second-best ERA in the Southern League, pitches 3.0 innings, only giving up one hit, no runs, and one walk with three strikeouts. Andrew Dalquist closed out the eighth inning, giving up only one hit, while closer Zach Franklin pitched the ninth inning, getting one strikeout. Franklin is fifth in the Southern League with nine saves and has a 3-0 record with a 1.76 ERA.
In the top of the first inning, the Barons scored first when Rikuu Nishida singled to start the game. William Bergolla sacrificed Nishida to second base, and Sam Antonacci singled home Nishida, and the Barons took the 1-0 lead. In the top of the second inning, the Chicago White Sox #2 prospect Braden Montgomery hits his first home run of Double-A on a ball hit over the right field fence, and the Barons led 2-0. Later in that inning, Calvin Harris singled on a ground ball to right field. The catcher steals second base for his first stolen base of the season. Nishida singles to put runners on the corners, and Bergolla walked to load the bases. Antonacci singled to center field, scoring Harris and Nishida on the play. The Barons took a 4-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth inning, Ryan Galanie hit his sixth home run over the center field fence and the Barons took a 5-0 lead. In the top of the ninth inning, Nishida walked, Begolla grounds into a force out, and he advances to second base on a wild pitch. Antonacci singled on a sharp ground ball to right field, scoring Bergolla, and the Barons led 6-0.
For the Barons, Antonacci had a huge night. He went 3-for-4 with four RBI and a walk. His on-base percentage plus slugging percentage is a whopping .988 on the season in 13 games. He has a .536 on-base percentage along with his .381 batting average. Nishida had three hits, two walks, and two runs scored. For qualified players, Nishida has a .414 on-base percentage that leads all of the Southern League. Montgomery had his home run, single, an RBI, and a run scored.
The Barons (22-9 in the second half, 60-40 overall) play the Trash Pandas (11-20 in the second half, 35-64) in game five on Saturday night at 6:35 p.m. CT.
Southern League Stories from August 2, 2025
- Barons Win, 3-2, In Extra Innings Against The Trash Pandas - Birmingham Barons
- Trash Pandas Edged in Extras by Barons, 3-2 - Rocket City Trash Pandas
- White Continues Strikeout Binge, Wahoos Win Fourth Straight - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Biscuits Clinch Series with 3-2 Win over Columbus - Montgomery Biscuits
- Cornielle Ties Season-High with Six Innings, Shuckers Fall to Blue Wahoos - Biloxi Shuckers
- Game Info: Saturday, August 2 vs. Birmingham: 6:35 PM: Toyota Field - Rocket City Trash Pandas
- Guzman, Rada Promoted to Triple-A Among 16 Roster Moves on Saturday - Rocket City Trash Pandas
- Lookouts Grateful Dead Night Set for August 16 - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Lookouts Drop Fourth Straight to Knoxville, Lose 8-1 - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Shuckers Add Brewers No. 23 Prospect 1B Blake Burke from High-A Wisconsin - Biloxi Shuckers
- Barons Shut out Trash Pandas 6-0 on Friday Night - Birmingham Barons
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