Birmingham Fails to Stop Pensacola in Game 4 Loss

In a game that started a hard fought defensive battle in the first three innings, the final outcome turned out to be quite the opposite. The Birmingham Barons drop another game to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, this time in a 12-1 final score.

The Barons started the game able to compete with the Blue Wahoos ace left-hander Patrick Monteverde. Monteverde came into the contest with a 0.00 ERA, while Birmingham’s starting pitcher right-hander Hunter Dollander came in with a 14.29 ERA.

Even though the two differed in one category, they were able to showcase similarities in combining for three scoreless innings to start the game.

The Barons, hungry to strike first and ruin Monteverdes flawless start, found a way with a tricky double steal. Shortstop Jose Rodriguez started to advance toward second to draw the attention of the opposition to him. The two worked together in perfect unison to make a double steal happen, scoring second-baseman Moises Castillo from third.

Birmingham looked to be in good shape to bounce back after a tough shutout loss just yesterday. Pensacola felt that, and made sure that was not the case. The Blue Wahoos stormed to a six-run fourth inning with the help of a single, double and a triple.

The Barons started the game with a lot of energy, but all the excitement from the away team dugout quickly subsided. Birmingham knew they had to make a change on the mound as Dollander’s night took a turn for the worse.

The call to the pen for right-hander Nick Gallagher worked to close out the fourth, however the fifth loomed even more terror. The Blue Wahoos pressed the gas even more as they scored five more runs to put them up by double digits.

In a matter of two innings, the Barons chances of victory had flipped upside down. Nevertheless, there was still ball left to play.

The Barons used only four pitchers: Dollander, Gallagher, right-hander Jeremy Burke and right-hander Vince Vannelle. The latter were the reasons this game stayed as close as it did.

Burke, in his second appearance with Birmingham, pitched a solid 2.1 innings. The New York native allowed five hits, however did not let up an earned run. Vannelle did let up an ER, but also had a strikeout and allowed only two hits.

The Barons hand the ball to right-handed starter Chase Solesky tomorrow with hopes of slowing down the explosive Blue Wahoos offense. Solesky,in his two starts,has shoved from the bump, allowing only 6 hits in his 7.0 IP.

Although Pensacola has tied up the series at 2-2 in two dominant showings, there are still two games left to play.