After ninth-inning rally, Generals fall on Birmingham walk-off

JACKSON, Tenn. - The Jackson Generals, the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, fought their way out of a three-run hole on Wednesday, but they came up short in a 9-8 walk-off loss to Birmingham at Regions Field.

The loss snapped a five-game win-streak for the Generals (51-44, 12-14 Second Half), while the Barons (47-47, 15-11 Second Half) reached a .500 overall winning percentage for the first time since the middle of May.
The Generals' offense leapt on Birmingham starter Alec Hansen early, scoring four runs over their first two at-bats. Jamie Westbrook, Rudy Flores, and Ben DeLuzio all drove in runs to help Jackson's causes, giving the visitors an early 4-0 lead entering the bottom of the second. Hansen, however, simplified his approach over the next three frames, working exclusively out of the stretch and holding the Generals without a hit in that span. Westbrook's bat resurfaced in the seventh inning, driving in Tyler Ladendorf to pull the Generals within 7-5 at that moment.
Down a pair of runs in the ninth inning, the Generals rallied against Birmingham closer José Ruiz, as Westbrook and Daniel Robertson both contributed RBI singles to give Jackson an 8-7 lead. DeLuzio and Ladendorf finished the game with three runs scored each, while Westbrook put up a 3-for-4 batting line with 3 RBI.
After a 1-2-3 first inning for Jackson starter Taylor Widener, the second inning unraveled on the Generals' ace, who was removed after two runs allowed and 53 pitches thrown. Bud Jeter followed, allowing three runs in two innings of work, and an inning of work from Kevin Ginkel in the sixth featured two additional tallies from Birmingham. After a pair of clean innings by Yoan López, Brad Goldberg (1-2, 2.00 ERA) came on for the ninth and gave up a blown save for the first time as a General, allowing the Barons stage a walk-off comeback to win. Daniel Gibson also appeared on Wednesday, making a scoreless mid-game appearance by throwing one hit-free inning. The 17-run contest lasted three hours and forty minutes, a 2018 season high.
 
NEXT GENERALS GAME:
7:05 pm CT Thursday (7/19) vs. Birmingham Barons
Regions Field - Birmingham, Ala.
RHP Justin Donatella (4-5, 3.39 ERA) vs. RHP Jimmy Lambert (3-1, 3.13 ERA)
Broadcast Link: Jackson Generals Baseball Network
UP AND COMING AT THE BALLPARK:
July 23-27 vs. Biloxi Shuckers (AA, Milwaukee Brewers)
…featuring Belly Buster Monday (July 23) and Generals Baseball Camp (July 26)!
August 2-6 vs. Tennessee Smokies (AA, Chicago Cubs)
…featuring Disney Night (August 4) and Belly Buster Monday (August 6)!
The Jackson Generals, a West Tennessee franchise since 1998, are the Double-A minor league affiliate of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2017, The Ballpark at Jackson was named the Professional Sports Field of the Year by the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. In 2018, the Generals and manager Shelley Duncan won the First Half North Division title, assuring them of a bid to the Southern League playoffs in September. For tickets and more information about the Generals,
dial 731.988.5299 or log on to our ticket page at JacksonGeneralsBaseball.com!