Barons Top Smokies for Second Straight Series Win
July 3, 2019 - Southern League (SL1)
Birmingham Barons News Release
KODAK, Tenn. - Laz Rivera delivered a go-ahead single in the seventh inning as the Birmingham Barons (36-47) capped off a series victory with a 3-2 win against the Tennessee Smokies (39-44) on Wednesday night at Smokies Stadium.
The Barons, who earned three wins in four games against the Smokies, have won consecutive series for the first time since they took three straight series against Tennessee (twice) and Jackson from July 12-27, 2018.
Rivera, whose go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning Monday propelled the Barons to a win, came through a clutch situation for the second time in the series. The White Sox No. 16 prospect sent a two-out base knock up the middle to plate Luis Gonzalez and break a 2-2 deadlock at the time.
Rivera's heroics, along with a two-run homer off the bat of Gavin Sheets helped back a strong start from veteran left-hander Matt Tomshaw. The 30-year-old southpaw worked into the sixth and allowed just two runs but settled for a no-decision. Tomshaw struck out eight and scattered five hits.
The Barons provided Tomshaw with an early 2-0 lead after Nick Madrigal singled and Sheets deposited his team-leading 10th home run of the season over the right-field fence. The former second-round selection out of Wake Forest extended his on-base streak to 21 games, which represents the longest active stretch in the Southern League.
Tennessee responded with a pair of runs in the fourth to level the score.
Right-handed reliever Luis Martinez (W, 4-1) replaced Tomshaw with two outs in the sixth and logged 1.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. He surrendered just one hit and struck out a pair.
However, despite the quality effort out of the bullpen, Martinez departed the game in an eighth-inning jam. Right-hander Danny Dopico took over with runners on the corners and one out and managed to escape the frame with no damage after he struck out Vimael Machin and induced a soft grounder from Charcer Burks.
Dopico then worked out of a ninth-inning jam, as well, and stranded the potential game-tying run at second to seal the win and lock down his third save of the season.
The Barons will return home to begin a six-game set against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Thursday. Birmingham will send left-hander John Parke (1-0, 2.77) to the mound against Pensacola right-hander Griffin Jax (3-2, 1.67).
First pitch in the series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at Regions Field and the game will be broadcast via WJQX-FM 100.5.
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