MONTGOMERY, Ala -- The Birmingham Barons let another close game slip away for a 9-8 loss to the Montgomery Biscuits before 2,378 at Dabo's Park on Friday night. With the game going back and forth, the Barons led 7-5 going into the seventh inning and tied the game in the top of the ninth inning, but fell short in the end.
Due to injury, relief pitcher Mathias LaCombe had to make an emergency start and pitched 1.2 innings, giving up three hits, five earned runs, and two walks with four strikeouts. Nick Altermatt pitched 2.1 innings, giving up two hits, no runs, and a walk. Carson Jacobs pitched two scoreless innings, giving up three walks with four strikeouts. Jerald Rosado pitched one inning, giving up three hits, three earned runs, and a walk with a strikeout. Phil Fox (2-4, 3.03) took the loss, going one inning, giving up one hit, one earned run, and a walk, and the walk-off home run in the ninth inning.
Montgomery (12-12, 47-46) scored first in the game. In the bottom of the second inning, Kamren James walked with the bases loaded, scoring Theo Gillen, and the Biscuits took the early 1-0 lead. Leadoff hitter Austin Overn followed with a grand slam to right field, and the Biscuits led 5-0.
Birmingham (9-16, 35-59) came back in the top of the third inning. Boston Smith walked, but the White Sox #1 prospect Caleb Bonemer was hit by a pitch to the head and had to leave the game. Alec Briley singled on a line drive to center field, and Anthony DePino followed with a grand slam to left field. His 12th home run of the season. The Barons trailed 5-4.
In the top of the fourth inning, Birmingham took the lead. Grant Magill walked, and Smith hit a two-run home run to right field, and the Barons took the 6-5 lead after trailing 5-0. In the top of the fifth inning, the Barons scored again. Briley walked. DePino was hit by a pitch and had to leave the game, the second Barons player to leave due to being hit by a pitch. Colby Shelton hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Briley, and the Barons led 7-5.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Biscuits scored three runs, and the last one was on a sacrifice fly by Emilien Pitre to center field, scoring Gillen, and the Biscuits took an 8-7 lead.
In the top of the eighth inning, Smith reached on a fielding error, scoring Shelton, and the Barons tied the game at 8-8. In the bottom of the ninth, Gillen hit a walk-off home run and took the home win for the Biscuits.
Up next, the Barons will face the Biscuits in Game 5 of the six-game series on Saturday. RHP Gabe Davis (0-4, 8.36) will take the mound for the Barons while RHP Gary Gill Hill (4-2, 4.09) will pitch for the Biscuits. First pitch is at 6:05 pm.