
Generals Conquer Barons in Bullpen Battle
Published on April 18, 2018 under Southern League (SL1)
Jackson Generals News Release
Jackson, Tenn. - With both starting pitchers out of the game by the end of the fourth inning, the Jackson Generals and Birmingham Barons left the lion's share of the game to be determined by their bullpens. What followed was a tightly contested five-frame tug-of-war that the Jackson staff took home, 4-3, for their third straight win.
Joel Payamps (2-0, 3.12 ERA) entered in relief of Jackson starter Taylor Widener in the fifth inning, earning the victory despite allowing a run. Yoan Lopez (S, 2) worked for more than a three-out span for the first time in 2018, going 1.2 innings to close the game while holding off a last-gasp rally by the Barons (6-6). Generals pitchers recorded 16 Birmingham strikeouts, matching Jackson's season high to date and taking over the Southern League lead in strikeouts with 122.
In the field and at the plate, Jason Morozowski earned his stripes with an important outfield assist, an RBI and a pair of hits. Kevin Medrano set the table well from the leadoff spot with a three-hit night, and Jamie Westbrook maintained a torrid pace with a 2-for-5 effort and two runs scored. The Generals (9-2) left eleven men on base, but they created 20 opportunities with men in scoring position on the night to help their chances offensively.
TOP PERFORMERS - Generals
RHP Taylor Widener - 4.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 8 K
OF Jason Morozowski - 2-4, RBI, 1 OF assist
3B Kevin Medrano - 3-5, R RBI, 2B
TOP PERFORMERS - Birmingham
RHP Spencer Adams - 3.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K
2B Trey Michalczewski - 2-4, R, 2 2B
RHP Brad Goldberg - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
BOTTOM 4: Galli Cribbs leads off with a sharp single to left field, and he makes an aggressive decision, turning hard at first base and heading for second. Cribbs slides in just ahead of the tag on the hustle double, and the bang-bang "safe" ruling by umpire Brandon Butler at second base leads to a few words of disagreement from Birmingham starting pitcher Spencer Adams. Home plate umpire Matt Bates ejects Adams from the game for his actions, creating a sudden need for a warm-and-ready arm in the Birmingham bullpen. The Generals don't scratch out any runs in the immediate aftermath, but they do eventually score against Adams' replacement, Colton Turner, in the next half-inning.
SCORE: BIR JXN 1, BIR 0
TOP 5: With two outs and a runner at third, Birmingham speedster Tito Polo lines a gapper just out of the reach of the diving Jason Morozowski in right-center field, with the ball rolling all the way to the wall. Morozowski quickly hops to his feet and collects the ball, rifling it in to his second baseman Juniel Querecuto as Polo makes the turn at third base. Querecuto's relay to home plate is strong and a step off-target, but catcher Alberto Rosario snags it and leaps back across the third-base foul-line to swipe-tag Polo just before he reaches the plate. The outfield assist is Morozowski's first at Double-A and it keeps the Generals tied 1-1 at that moment.
SCORE: BIR 1, JXN 1
NEXT GAME:
11:05 am CT Wednesday (4/18) at The Ballpark at Jackson (Jackson, TN)
RHP Ryan Atkinson (Generals) vs. RHP Jordan Stephens (Birmingham)
THIS GENERALS HOMESTAND:
April 16-25 (vs. Birmingham Barons & Chattanooga Lookouts)
Images from this story
![]() Jackson Generals outfielder Jason Morozowski (Cody Cunningham) |
Southern League Stories from April 18, 2018
- Smokies Clinch Series in Montgomery with 4-2 Win - Knoxville Smokies
- Lookouts Sweep Jumbo Shrimp, 12-4 and 3-2 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Generals Win as Cribbs Hits for the Cycle - Jackson Generals
- Mississippi Rallies to Defeat Pensacola 9-4 - Mississippi Braves
- M-Braves Sink Wahoos 9-4 with Big Eighth Inning - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Jackson Takes Game Three, Series with 8-1 Win - Birmingham Barons
- Angels No. 12 Prospect Jose Suarez Added to BayBears Roster - Mobile BayBears
- LHP Tyler Pike activated from Temporary Inactive List - Mississippi Braves
- Generals Conquer Barons in Bullpen Battle - Jackson Generals
- Extras Doom Biscuits, 6-1 - Montgomery Biscuits
- IF Jake Cronenworth Transferred to AAA Durham; RHP Reece Karalus to Biscuits - Montgomery Biscuits
- BayBears Turn Triple Play, Come Back to Win in Extras - Mobile BayBears
- Mississippi Drops Second Consecutive Game to Pensacola - Mississippi Braves
- Biloxi Falls in First Extra Innings Contest 4-3 - Biloxi Shuckers
- Blue Wahoos Make It Two Straight, Best Braves 8-4 - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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