Record
4-2 (last week)
56-52 (overall)
15-24 (second half)

The Barons revived this week and took the series against Rocket City, four of six. The offense exploded for 68 total hits as a team, averaging more than 11 hits per game — a COMPLETELY different story than the week prior. The pitching was efficient enough to snag four wins, bringing Birmingham to 15-24 in the second half.

August 6: Birmingham Barons 7, Rocket City Trash Pandas 1
A five-run second inning paved the way for the first win of the week for the Barons, with Riley Gowens (4 IP, 4 H, HR, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K) opening the game with four efficient innings of one-run ball. Garrett Schoenle would end up earning the win, allowing just one baserunner in his three innings, while striking out five Trash Pandas.

The offense was cooking on Tuesday as well, posting 14 hits as a team. Matt Hogan, Shawn Goosenberg, and Wilfred Veras all drove in two runs apiece, with Hogan being the only batter to rack up three hits.

Game MVPs
Matt Hogan (CF) 3-for-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, K
Garrett Schoenle (LHRP) 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K

August 7: Rocket City Trash Pandas 7, Birmingham Barons 5
The Trash Pandas took an early 3-0 lead after two innings, but Jairo Iriarte recovered for the next four to keep Rocket City at bay. The Barons took the lead in the fifth after a five-run rally, but the bullpen struggled to hold the lead.

Adam Hackenberg had a fantastic game offensively, but even with five hits he somehow wasn’t as productive as DJ Gladney, who drove in three of the seven Birmingham runs. Jake Palisch gave up a homer in the bottom of the eighth, blowing the save and allowing Rocket City to tie the game. Naturally, the Trash Pandas walked it off on a three-run bomb in the bottom of the ninth to end the game.

Game MVPs
Adam Hackenberg (C) 5-for-5, 2B, R, RBI
DJ Gladney (LF) 2-for-5, HR, R, 3 RBI, K

August 8: Rocket City Trash Pandas 7, Birmingham Barons 5
Back-to-back losses with the same score is giving me some dé​jà vu, but not the good kind as the Barons couldn’t get the win this time, either. The pitching wasn’t super efficient from Birmingham on Thursday, as Juan Carela, Chase Plymell, and Gil Luna all gave up at least two runs, accounting for all seven Rocket City runs. Drew Dalquist came in to relieve Luna in the bottom of the seventh, and although he started his outing with two consecutive wild pitches, he was able to work out of it and was the only pitcher who didn’t give up a run.

The Barons were getting runners on as they had nine hits as a team, but they unfortunately waited until the last two innings to start scoring runs, and they ultimately weren’t able to get them all back. They fell just short in the ninth, with ducks on the pond for Adam Hackenberg, who grounded out to end the game.

Game MVP
Mario Camilletti (2B) 2-for-4, 2 RBI

August 9: Birmingham Barons 6, Rocket City Trash Pandas 4
With 22 hits between the two teams, Birmingham’s 12 was enough to bounce back, with Tyler Schweitzer earning the W over six decent innings of work, even after giving up two bombs. Just one more run scored for Rocket City off of Caleb Freeman in the eighth, but him and Max Roberts shut it down to seal the win for the Barons.

There were plenty of great offensive performances to go around, with Adam Hackenberg, DJ Gladney, and Wilfred Veras accounting for seven of the 12 Birmingham hits (and two homers), with each of them also driving in a run.

Game MVP
Adam Hackenberg (C) 3-for-4, 2B, R, RBI
Tyler Schweitzer (SP) 6 IP, 7 H, 2 HR, 3 R, 4 K

August 10: Birmingham Barons 9, Rocket City Trash Pandas 5
The Barons pitching was the weaker part of Saturday’s game, but the team’s 11 hits certainly helped pick them up, providing the necessary run support to make it through the game with a win. The offense scored five runs in the first two innings, and paired with a solid 3 1/3 innings from Noah Schultz was exactly what Birmingham needed. The bullpen was efficient for the most part, Eric Adler and Hoopi-Tuionetoa had clean, hitless innings with three combined strikeouts.

Two-RBI games from Jacob Gonzalez, Tyler Neslony, and DJ Gladney bolstered the hot-hitting offense, and Wilfred Veras also put up three hits himself. All four of these guys ripped a double at some point in the game as well, accounting for all four extra base hits.

Game MVPs
Noah Schultz (SP) 3 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K
DJ Gladney (LF) 2-for-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB, K
Wilfred Veras (RF) 3-for-5, R, RBI, 0 BB, K

August 11: Birmingham Barons 4, Rocket City Trash Pandas 1
The Barons capped off the series by snagging the fourth win of the week, with another great start from Riley Gowens. Gowens battled through command issues, walking four batters in 4 1/3 innings, but was also nearly impossible to hit, only giving up two hits while striking out five. The bullpen was also rather efficient, only allowing four total hits, and Gil Luna (1 2/3 IP, H, 0 R, 3 BB, K) would get the win after coming in for Gowens, though he, too, had a hard time with walks.

Once again, the offense came in clutch when they needed to. Mario Camilletti scored the first run for the Barons on a solo shot in the sixth, and Jason Matthews drove in the second on a hard liner to center. And it also definitely helped that Terrell Tatum mashed a homer in the top of the eighth to add a couple of much-needed insurance runs and seal the win.

Game MVPs
Terrell Tatum (CF) 2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Riley Gowens (SP) 4 1/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 5 K

Seven Day Hitting

Seven Day Pitching