BIRMINGHAM, Ala - A two-run home run by Alec Briley and a grand slam by Caleb Bonemer gave the Birmingham Barons a 10-5 win over the Knoxville Smokies before 2,167 at Regions Field on Sunday afternoon. With the Barons trailing 5-3, those two home runs produced six runs, and the Barons led 9-5 after six innings.
The Barons (1-5, 27-48) snapped an eight-game losing streak and a five-game losing streak to the Smokies in this six-game series. The Smokies (5-1, 43-32) pounded out 17 hits, but the Barons turned four double plays in the win.
Starting pitcher Jake Palisch started the game, going five innings, giving up 13 hits, five earned runs, and no walks with a strikeout. Phil Fox pitched 0.2 innings, giving up two hits and two walks. Pierce George (1-0, 5.40) gets the win. George came into the game with the bases loaded and got a pop-up in foul territory to close out the inning. Liam Paddack pitched an inning, only giving up a walk. Jerald Rosado pitched one inning, giving up two hits with two strikeouts. Jonathan Clark finished off the ninth inning, giving up a walk with two strikeouts.
The Smokies scored first in the game in the top of the first inning, when Alex Ramirez doubled, scoring Owen Ayers, and Knoxville took the 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first inning, Jacob Burke walked. Briley hit a hard ground ball off the Smokies first baseman, and Bonemer doubled down the left field line, scoring Bukre, and the game was tied at 1-1. Anthony DePino grounded out, scoring Briley, and the Barons took the 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the second inning, Colby Shelton reached on a three-base error, and Jorge Corona singled, scoring Shelton, and the Barons led 3-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Smokies scored three runs. Ayers singled, and Andy Garriola singled. Edgar Alvarez followed with a three-run home run, and the Smokies took the 5-3 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Brenden Dixon was hit by a pitch. Briley hit the two-run home run, and the game was tied at 5-5.
In the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs, Dixon walked, Burke singled on a line drive to left field, and Briley walked to load the bases. With two strikes, Bonemer delivered the grand slam over the left field fence, and the Barons took the 9-5 lead.
The Barons were not done scoring as in the bottom of the eighth inning, Dylan Campbell walked with the bases loaded and the Barons led 10-5.
For the Barons, Bonemer had four hits, a run scored, and five RBI. Briley had two hits, three runs scored, and two RBI. Burke had a single, two walks, and two runs scored.
Up next, Birmingham will host Montgomery for a six-game series starting on Tuesday. First pitch is at 7:00 pm.