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SL1 Birmingham Barons

Tomshaw Sets SL Record, But Barons Fall to Smokies

July 18, 2019 - Southern League (SL1)
Birmingham Barons News Release


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Despite seven shutout innings from Matt Tomshaw, the Birmingham Barons (14-10, 41-52) dropped a 2-1 decision to the Tennessee Smokies (10-17, 43-53) on Thursday night at Regions Field.

Tomshaw, who was in line for his fourth win of the season before Tennessee rallied with a pair of runs in the ninth, set the modern-day (since 2005) Southern League record for career innings pitched in the seven-inning effort. The veteran left-hander broke Travis Chick's mark of 525.0 career innings in the Southern League with two outs in the sixth inning.

Tomshaw, 30, has spent parts of five seasons in the Southern League between the Barons and Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. He logged seven strikeouts and allowed just two hits Thursday night.

The Barons provided the southpaw with a 1-0 lead in the first after Blake Rutherford took a first-pitch fastball past the right-field bleachers for his sixth home run of the season.

Rutherford, whom MLB Pipeline ranks as the No. 8 prospect in the White Sox organization, owns a .347 clip at the plate with three home runs and 20 RBI since the start of June.

Rutherford's blast represented Birmingham's lone run of the contest. The Barons placed the potential tying run on third and winning run on second with two outs in the ninth, but Laz Rivera's shallow fly to center ended the game.

Barons right-hander Danny Dopico (L, 2-2) suffered the loss after he allowed both Smokies runs to cross the plate in the ninth. Dopico, who struck out the first batter in the frame, followed with a hit-by-pitch, walk and an intentional walk before Jared Young's two-out bloop single down the left-field line scored the go-ahead run.

Tennessee left-hander Wyatt Short (W, 4-1) collected the win in relief.

The Barons and Smokies will continue their four-game set Friday as Birmingham sends left-hander John Parke (1-0, 3.33) to the mound against Tennessee right-hander Alex Lange (2-2, 2.89).

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT at Regions Field and the game will be broadcast via WJQX-FM 100.5.

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