Birmingham Emerges Victorious in 5-3 Final against Chattanooga in Game 1
June 8, 2023 - Southern League (SL)
Birmingham Barons News Release
After a disappointing ending to a six-game series the Birmingham Barons just wrapped up with the Mississippi Braves, they now look at a series against the Chattanooga Lookouts. The Lookouts look a lot different than the last time the Barons saw them. They are now second in the Southern League North, and 6-4 in their last 10. Despite the vast difference in past performance from the two ball clubs, the Barons took Game 1 in a final score of 5-3.
In the ballgame, Alsander Womack and Moises Castillo led the charge on offense with five of the total eight hits on the night as well as four RBI of the total five runs scored. Womack finished the ballgame going 3-5 from the plate with an RBI and two doubles. Castillo went 2-4 from the dish with a run and three RBI.
From the mound, the Barons have been graced with LHP Ben Holmes, who in his last three appearances has given up zero earned runs and one hit in 3.2 IP. Holmes' latest appearance was in the bottom of the ninth inning in which he allowed zero hits, zero earned runs and struck out two.
The two phases worked together with the three highlighted players spire heading the victory.
The Barons may have ended the ballgame with the lead; however, the Braves were the team to jump on the scoreboard first with a run in the second and a pair of runs in the third. Birmingham has been used to playing from behind but this time the result was different than what has plagued them this whole season.
In the fourth inning, Xavier Fernandez took a walk with the bases loaded to advance a runner across the plate. The offense was not done there as Castillo collected two of his RBI as he singled to score Yoelqui Cespedes and Adam Hackenberg. The Barons knotted the ballgame at 2-2, and that kept for the next three innings.
Birmingham's offense did not score again until taking the lead in the eighth. Even with the offense giving them the lead, it was the pitching that allowed them to take their time.
The Barons used a combination of LHP Andrew Perez and RHP Yoelvin Silven to get them to the game sealing inning. Perez and Silven combined for four scoreless innings with a combined two hits allowed and eight strikeouts.
Birmingham's offense rewarded the duo's efforts with a two run eighth inning. In the top of the eighth it was two singles from Castillo and Womack that finished off the night at the plate for the Barons.
The Barons entered the bottom of the ninth with a two-run cushion, thanks to Castillo and Womack. The start of the half inning was never what anyone wanted to see as RHP Caleb Freeman two pitches into his outing was pulled.
Despite the quick change, Holmes sprang into action to close out the game for the Barons and collected his first save on the season.
Birmingham emerged victorious in Game 1 against Chattanooga and will look to emulate that in Game 2 with LHP Garrett Schoenle taking the bump.
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Southern League Stories from June 8, 2023
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- Birmingham Emerges Victorious in 5-3 Final against Chattanooga in Game 1 - Birmingham Barons
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