Birmingham Barons 4, Chattanooga Lookouts 0 — Southern League Division Series Game 2
Facing elimination after a Game 1 loss, the Barons did not mess around Thursday and carried a no-hitter through 8 1/3 innings while posting 10 hits as a team to even the series with the Lookouts.
Lefthander Hagen Smith was outstanding in his first playoff start, plowing through five hitless innings where he walked two and struck out 10 Chattanooga batters to earn his first professional playoff win. Hagen had struggled
with a high walk rate throughout the regular season (17.6%), but tonight’s 5:1 strikeout to walk ratio was much prettier, and he kept Birmingham alive in the series to force a Game 3.
Smith had set the tone for the pitching staff, as reliever Jake Palisch was perfect through the next three frames, striking out three and keeping the combined no-hitter alive. Tyler Davis was out for the bottom of the ninth looking to close it out, and he almost was able to clinch the no-no — even getting the first out of the inning. But Edwin Arroyo of the Lookouts sent a double out to left before Davis was able to finish it up and secure the win for Smith.
Every single Barons batter recorded at least one hit, though Alec Makarewicz was the sole hitter with an extra base hit and more than one safety. Alongside the 10 hits, Rikuu Nishida accounted for half of the runs driven in (two), though Birmingham also struck out 10 times and left seven runners on base. As a team, they went 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position and tallied one in the third and three in the fifth.
Nishida provided the Barons with a 1-0 lead in the third on an RBI single to score Makarewicz, and Jordan Sprinkle attempted to score as the left fielder made an error but was thrown out at home.
The Alec and Rikuu show continued on into the fifth, as Makarewicz doubled to lead off the inning and Nishida reignited the scoring rally on a squeeze bunt that scored Makarewicz just a few batters later to take a two-run lead. William Bergolla, Sam Antonacci, and Ryan Galanie all tacked on consecutive base hits that increased the Barons lead to four, providing plenty of insurance runs behind a pitching staff that seemingly refused to give allow a baserunner.
Birmingham was clutch when they needed to be with the series on the line, and we’re all tied up now. The Barons will attempt to reach back-to-back Southern League Championship Series on Friday night in Chattanooga!
Durham Bulls 3, Charlotte Knights 2 (Statcast box)
The lead flip-flopped for a few innings until the Bulls (84-62) finally took control and defeat the Knights (63-84), 3-2. Shane Murphy made his 23rd start of the season and lasted 4 2/3 after allowing two runs on five hits, including a home run, four walks, and five strikeouts. At the very least, Murphy kept Charlotte in the game tied at two, but the bats just weren’t clicking.
Durham posted nine hits against Charlotte’s four, and the Knights went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position while leaving four on base as a team. The Good Guys started off on a solid note as Corey Julks pushed them ahead early on a solo bomb to lead off the game, 1-0, but Murphy allowed the Bulls to do the same in the top of the third to tie it up at one.
Tim Elko was one of the four batters that managed to get a hit for the Knights, and he also racked up half of the RBIs (it was one, but still half!) after driving in Dru Baker on a base hit in the bottom of the third to re-take the lead. Unfortunately for Charlotte, they didn’t score another run. Righthander Kyle Tyler was out for the next 2 1/3, but he self-sabotaged by allowing the go-ahead run for Durham on his own throwing error to put the Bulls up one, 3-2.
Peyton Pallette and Garrett Schoenle each posted scoreless innings, but the offense couldn’t string together any hits. Outside of a walk in the ninth, Durham only had to face the minimum number of Charlotte batters for the final three frames.
Charlotte is riding a three-game losing streak as they head into the final three games of the season this weekend, including a doubleheader on Saturday to wrap things up. At this point the best we can hope for is to avoid a six-game sweep to end the year.
