Birmingham Comes Up Just Short in 4-3 Loss

By Jeff Allison

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee - The Birmingham Barons comeback came up short 4-3 to the Knoxville Smokies before 5,663 at Covenant Health Park on Saturday night. The Barons have dropped three straight games to the Smokies and have only eight hits, and have struck out 34 times in those three losses.

Starting pitcher Connor McCullough pitched 4.0 innings, giving up three hits, two earned runs, no walks with five strikeouts in the no-decision. Nick Altermatt pitched 1.1 innings, giving up one hit, one earned run, two walks with a strikeout. Carson Jacobs (0-1, 10.80) gets the loss, going 1.2 innings, giving up one hit, one earned run, two walks with two strikeouts. Jonathan Clark pitched one inning, giving up a walk with a strikeout.

The Smokies (17-15) scored first in the game in the bottom of the second inning, when Airel Armas hit a home run to center field, scoring Alex Ramairez. Knoxville led 2-0.

In the top of the sixth inning with one out, Jorge Corona walked, Jason Matthews walked, and Samuel Zavala walked to load the bases. Jacob Burke hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Corona. The Barons trailed 2-1. Alec Makarewicz reached on a throwing error, letting Matthews and Zavala score. Birmingham led 3-2.

That lead didn't stand long as in the bottom of the sixth inning, Owen Ayers hit a solo home run to right field, and the Smokies tied the game at 3-3. Later in the inning, Edgar Alvarez hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Ramirez, and the Smokies took the 4-3 lead.

For the Barons, Zavala had the only hit for Birmingham. Wilfred Veras walked twice in the loss.