Rose's surge powers Barons' comeback win

The pregame coffee hadn't even set in before Matt Rose and his teammates found themselves down by seven runs, but by the time they left Regions Field for a late lunch, the day had turned around beautifully.
Rose continued a recent power surge at the plate with two home runs and a career-high six RBIs as Double-A Birmingham pulled off its biggest comeback in seven years with an 11-7 matinee victory over Biloxi.

Gameday box score
The Barons and Shuckers got underway at 11:03 Monday morning in the finale of their five-game series, and from the outset, it looked like it would be a long day for the home team. The Shuckers tagged Barons starter Ian Clarkin, the No. 16 White Sox prospect, for seven runs in the first, capped by Wendell Rijo's two-out grand slam to left. But as Clarkin steadied himself, Birmingham's offense came to life.
"It was very, very thrilling," Rose said of the win. "Ian did a good job of keeping them at zeroes for the rest of his outing, so hats off to him for not giving up and keeping us in the game.
"You have early morning games, waking up, you're really not awake yet, but I think we did a good job with keeping our composure and just scratching back."

Rose had a hand in Birmingham's answer in the first. The first baseman followed a one-out RBI single by Seby Zavala with a single of his own to left, loading the bases. Two batters later, Jameson Fischer was hit by a pitch to bring in the Barons' second run of the inning.
In the third, Zavala doubled to right leading off, and Rose followed with a two-run homer to cut his team's deficit to 7-4.
"Even though we were down three runs right there, we still felt like it was a 0-0 game," he said. "We felt like we had all the momentum. We could sense it with [Biloxi]. They were getting a little frustrated in their ABs, so we just kept our foot on the gas after that."
The Barons took over in the fourth. Facing rehabbing Milwaukee left-hander Boone Logan, Birmingham loaded the bases on back-to-back walks to Danny Mendick and Tito Polo before a single by reigning Southern League Player of the Week Zack Collins. Without recording an out, Logan gave way to No. 19 Milwaukee prospect Kodi Medeiros, and after No. 4 overall prospectEloy Jiménez popped out to first, Zavala walked to bring home a run and set the stage for Rose. The Georgia State product came through with a grand slam to left-center, highlighting the six-run frame and giving Birmingham the lead for good.

"We actually did a stance change," Rose said of his adjustment at the plate. "I think that's been a huge key, just trying to get my head in the hitting zone, keep my eyes in the hitting zone and not chase balls in the dirt, controlling the strike zone, putting good swings on the ball.
"My original stance, I was a little lower, and then I narrowed it up, kind of standing up a little bit. It's kind of like [San Francisco Giants third baseman] Evan Longoria, his stance. I'm kind of trying to mirror that."
Rose now has hits in five of his last six games and is batting .440 (11-for-25) over the span. The 23-year-old has collected all five of his 2018 home runs and all but three of his 14 RBIs during the Barons' last four contests.
"It kind of feels like I'm back home again," he said. "I've always been a power guy. At the beginning of the year, I was getting my singles, but I want to drive the ball more, get some more RBIs, put balls in the gap.
"My confidence is through the ceiling right now just having a plan and putting a good swing on the ball every time I get up there."
The comeback was Birmingham's greatest since the Barons rallied from down 9-0 -- in a game that also included a seven-run first inning by their opponent -- to beat Montgomery, 10-9, on May 14, 2011.
Birmingham piled up 18 hits in support of its starter and relievers Jake Johansen, Brad Goldberg and Brian Clark, who combined to toss four scoreless innings at the back end of the win. Rose was one of seven Barons with multiple hits on the day along with Polo, Zavala, Collins, Jimenez, Trey Michalczewski and Danny Mendick.
"It is absolutely amazing," he said of hitting in Birmingham's lineup. "You've got guys hitting in front of you, driving the ball and getting on base for you, and if you don't get the job done, the guys behind you will pick you up. There are a lot of RBI opportunities. It's just been a lot of fun."
After his rough first, Clarkin settled in to go five innings and earn the victory, improving to 3-2.
"I think he just got ahead in his last four innings," Rose said. "He was falling behind in the first inning a little bit, had to leave balls over the plate, but he did a phenomenal job of coming back and throwing zeroes for us."
Milwaukee No. 6 prospect Corey Ray went 2-for-4 with a double and run scored from the leadoff spot for Biloxi in the loss.