Barons Win Bizarre Marathon, 7-6
Published on May 14, 2003 under Southern League (SL1)
Birmingham Barons News Release
BIRMINGHAM, AL â The Barons outlasted the Diamond Jaxx in 12 innings and took the victory 7-6 to win the series 3-1 in front of 2,725 fans at the Hoover Met on Tuesday evening. Birmingham is now one game over five hundred (19-18) and in sole possession of second place, three games behind division leader Huntsville.
Each team used six pitchers on the night and combined to give up 34 hits, including a season-high 23 base knocks by the Barons. The last time Birmingham wrapped out 20+ hits was on July 3, 2001 at West Tenn when they belted 22 hits.
Both teams fought back and forth all night as the hours ticked away on the game. West Tenn struck early as they built a 6-2 lead by the sixth inning. The Barons would fight back though as they scored three runs in the seventh to pull within a run. In the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Hankins stepped to the plate and delivered a towering home run to left that tied the game at six and sent the game into extra innings.
The score stayed knotted until the bottom of the twelfth when the game got crazy. The Diamond Jaxx ran out of pitchers and had to bring on designated hitter Jose Velazquez to pitch. Velazquez walked two, gave up two hits and balked in his short stint on the mound as he lost his first game of the season. Jonathan Aceves drew a two-out walk, advanced to second on a Josh Shaffer single and moved to third on a Chad Durham base hit before reaching home on a throwing error by third baseman Brendan Harris to score the winning run.
Earlier in the inning, Carlos Maldonado and the Barons fell prey to one of the oldest trick plays as Maldonado was tagged out at second after West Tenn caught him off the bag with the hidden ball trick.
Barons reliever Jeff Bajenaru (2-1) pitched a perfect 1.1 innings to pick up the win and Velazquez (0-1) took the loss after surrendering the final run.
The Barons begin their longest road trip of the year tomorrow as they travel to Carolina, Tennessee and Mobile over the next 13 days. The team will travel 1,641 miles and spend 28 hours on the bus. In game one in Carolina, the Barons send out RHP Enemenio Pacheco (3-0, 1.37) to face LHP Ryan Snare (2-0, 3.83) at 6:15 PM.
Southern League Stories from May 14, 2003
- Suns Back in Town on Monday - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Lookouts Beat Braves in Series Finale - Mississippi Braves
- Barons Win Bizarre Marathon, 7-6 - Birmingham Barons
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