SL Birmingham Barons

Scolaro Sets up Ramos Walk-Off against Rocket City in Electrifying 5-4 Victory

Published on August 8, 2023 under Southern League (SL)
Birmingham Barons News Release


Sunday, August 6th, marked the final time the Birmingham Barons will host the Rocket City Trash Pandas in Regions Field for the 2023 season, the Barons found themselves down 4-13 in their prior Magic City matchups. Even though the Barons could not do much to even the series with one game left, they at least wanted to steal a win in their final game with home field advantage. Birmingham did just that, LHP Jonah Scolaro pitched 3.0 shutout innings to set up Bryan Ramos to hit the walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to seal the 5-4 victory.

The Barons and the Trash Pandas did not disappoint in the nine-round bout as the whole time no team had more than a two-run advantage. Rocket City was the first to jump on the scoreboard as they tacked on a run in the top of the first and the third. The Trash Pandas scored their runs on a Tucker Flint force out and a Sonni DiChiara double, respectively.

After the second run scored the Barons opted to take out starting LHP Jake Eder in his Barons debut. Eder finished 2.0 innings pitched allowing two hits, two earned runs and four walks to go with two strikeouts. The Chicago White Sox No. 4 prospect did not have the most outstanding debut on paper, however, Eder showed that even in dangerous situations he can remain cool at the bump.

Eder in his short outing found himself with runners in scoring position five times and only allowed two runs to score. RHP Jared Kelley for the Barons carried on that momentum as he relieved Eder in the third.

In the third, Kelley managed to get three outs in four batters as the only batter to get on was a hit-by-pitch. The right-hander replicated with sitting down Rocket City in four batters in the top of the fourth. In the fourth, Mariano Ricciardi reached on an error by Colson Montgomery and accounted for the only Trash Panda to reach base in the inning.

The Barons bats were rather quiet to start the game as they went three rounds with only two hits, two walks and zero runners in scoring position. Birmingham got over the early struggles, scoring two-runs in the bottom of the fourth.

The two-run frame was kicked off by Terrell Tatum, who accomplished a walk in six pitchers and the Barons first base runner of the inning. Yoelqui Cespedes advanced Tatum to third on a double, his second and final hit of the night. Just one batter after Cespedes' two-bagger, newcomer Sebastian Rivero collected his first hit and two RBI as a Baron. Rivero smacked a line drive single into left field that scored Tatum and Cespedes, respectively.

Rivero tied up the ballgame with his efforts, aiding Kelley to continue his dominance from the mound and keep the game notched at two-apiece. Kelley tossed another scoreless inning and only allowed one hit in the top of the fifth. The 21-year-old was rewarded by the Barons bats in the bottom of the inning as they secured the lead for the first time in the ballgame.

In the fifth, Tatum tallied his lone hit and RBI of the night on a single to left field that scored Montgomery in the process. The Barons captured their first lead of the night, nevertheless, the Trash Pandas responded with their next opportunity in the top of the sixth to reclaim it.

Rocket City, in the sixth, was met with a pitching change from the Barons from Kelley to RHP Adisyn Coffey. Coffey managed two quick outs in his lone innings of work, however, surrendered two earned runs. The Trash Pandas secured those runs on two singles from Nolan Schanuel and Flint, respectively. On Flint's RBI single to take the lead, Wilfred Veras put some comeback energy into the air as he threw out DiChiara to end the inning and Rocket City's chances at adding more to their lead.

As the game entered the final round of the fight, the Barons called Scolaro out of the pen to keep the game within reach for the home team. The left-hander has been one of the Barons most consistent hurlers as he held a 3.11 ERA entering Sunday's appearance. Scolaro finished the contest with a 2.88 ERA, zero hits, zero runs, four strikeouts and his second win of the season.

Scolaro started his 3.0 innings pitched with back-to-back frames, sitting the Trash Pandas down in order. The southpaw in the top of the ninth was still efficient as he sat down the opposition in four batters, only allowing a walk to DiChiara. Scolaro's efforts at the time was just a miracle as it has been rough for the Barons to stay in game once the pen is called. However, the lefty was a setup man for a miracle in the bottom of the ninth.

In the ninth, the inning got kicked off by a Jose Rodriguez bloop single behind the second baseman. Rodriguez then on first stole second in the midst of Montgomery striking out in three straight pitches. Now with one-out and a man on third as a wild pitch advanced Rodriguez during Bryan Ramos' fifth at-bat of the night.

Rocket City thought they were all over the 21-year-old as he had little to show from the plate going 0-3 with two walks prior to the ninth. Ramos said after the game that the two walks he had on the night prepared him as he felt comfortable at the dish, even if the stat line didn't show it. The Chicago White Sox No. 6 prospect got himself into a 0-2 hole early with a called strike and a foul ball but fought back with a ball called on the third pitch.

Ramos on the fourth pitch of the at-bat smacked a ball into deep left field that he knew was going over as soon as it left the bat. Bryan's eighth home run of the year electrified his teammates as they shot up to surround home plate and welcome the man of the night.

Birmingham had fought through seven games in six days to earn an emotional victory in the series finale. The Barons will enjoy the win until they hit the road to their first meeting with the Montgomery Biscuits. Their series kicks off in Montgomery on Tuesday, August 8th, at 6:35 p.m.

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