Birmingham Concedes Two Runs in the Ninth in Loss to Chattanooga

The Birmingham Barons found themselves reclaiming the lead with a three-run frame in the bottom of the sixth against the Chattanooga Lookouts. The Lookouts had allowed the Barons to claim all three games prior to tonight, however, the away team mustered a comeback of their own. In the ninth inning, Chattanooga stormed back with two runs and stingy pitching to steal Game 4 by a score of 9-8.

Despite the outcome, Birmingham controlled the first inning from top to bottom. In the top of the inning starting RHP Jonathan Cannon in his second start sat down the Lookouts in order and came away with one strikeout. In the bottom, the Barons collected two runs off of an RBI double from Alsander Womack that scored Terrell Tatum and a Xavier Fernandez RBI single that scored Womack.

Even with the hold that the Barons seemed to start the game with the Lookouts were not going to go down without a fight. Chattanooga charged back in the second with a two-run home run by Quincy McAfee that tied the game. The Lookouts also in the second shut the Barons down in order to kick start this nine-inning bout off with two blows by both teams.

The punches continued to land in the third inning with the Lookouts taking the lead at the end of it. Chattanooga wound up scoring three total runs in the third inning off a soft hit single by Francisco Urbaez, a wild pitch that scored Urbaez and a sacrifice fly hit by Alex McGarry. The Barons mustered up some sort of response, but it did not cover all the runs that they allowed in the half inning. Birmingham secured one run in the bottom of the third off of an RBI double that was hit by Adam Hackenberg that scored Womack.

Cannon, despite a rough third inning, bounced back in the fourth to deliver a much needed three-up three-down for the Barons bats. The bats were ready to respond, however, not with enough. Birmingham brought the game to within one run on a Tatum ground out that would advance Ben Norman across home plate.

The Barons and Lookouts took a break from scoring as both went scoreless in the fifth. In Cannon’s final inning, the right-hander added two more strikeouts to his three total. The Chicago White Sox No. 9 prospect finished his 5.0 IP with eight hits, five earned runs and a home run, paired with his three strikeouts.

RHP Yoelvin Silven was the first Baron out of the bullpen to relieve Cannon in the top of the sixth. Silven in his first inning of work kept Chattanooga off the scoreboard, and the Barons collected three runs in the bottom frame.

Birmingham scored their three runs from the aid of two players: Tatum and Womack. Tatum captured his second and final RBI of the night on an RBI single that scored Norman. Womack secured his third RBI of the game on a ground ball that reached center field. Womack finished the night with the prolific stat line of the Barons with a 4-5 night from the plate, along with two runs, a double and three RBI. The Barons also collected its eighth hit by pitch of the series, which would not please the home team.

The Lookouts would notch the ballgame back up in the seventh on a two-run home run from Rece Hinds, his 14th of the year. The Barons did not have a response in the bottom of the inning but with Tatum being hit by a pitch, making it 9th HBP by the Lookouts this series, Birmingham started to let the umpires know of their displeasure.

All of the tension throughout the series between the two foes finally came into fruition in the top of the eighth inning as three Barons coaches were thrown out of the ballgame. The Barons knew that they needed to capitalize on the energy boost the coaches were trying to achieve and a sure hand knew how to do it.

In the bottom of the eighth, Fernandez delivered his third home run of the series to push the Barons up a run. The energy was roaring at Regions Field as the crowd of over 4,000 people were ready for yet another win by the home team.

The Lookouts, however, had other plans as a two RBI double from James Free put the away team up by a run. The Barons tried to mount yet another comeback, but it was not in the cards for the home team in Game 4. Birmingham was sat down in four batters to close out the one run loss.

The Barons still lead Chattanooga in the series 3-1 and will look to lock up the series in Game 5 on Saturday. Birmingham will toss out their hottest starter in RHP Matt Thompson, who in the past 30 days carries a 1.61 ERA.