Had the Birmingham Barons and Tennessee Smokies been still battling for a division decided by a half-game instead of starting a fresh half, Wednesday night's game could've been one for the ages.
On a night where the White Sox were shut out for the 12th time this season, it still qualified as the best Sox-adjacent entertainment around.
The Barons entered the ninth inning leading 6-1 with Eric Adler coming into close it out. Adler had been one of the most reliable Birmingham relievers, but his proclivity for walks flared up on him to an unprecedented degree. He opened the inning with a walk, which came around to score after a pair of singles to make it a 6-2 game.
But then Adler loaded the bases with two more walks on nine total pitches, and Sergio Santos went to Jake Palisch to face Haydn McGeary.
Palisch promptly gave up a grand slam.
And just like that, the Smokies went from down five to up one, and with still nobody out. Palisch settled down to retire the next three, but he was still on the hook for a loss.
In came Eduarniel Núñez for Tennessee, who came in with a 0.00 ERA over 13 games with the Smokies, but he'd only prove that the Cubs' Double-A apple doesn't fall far from the Cubs tree. He retired the first two batters of the inning, but Brooks Baldwin kept the game alive by lining a 100-mph into the gap and stretching it into a double.
That complicated matters, because he then advanced to third on a balk when Núñez hesitated in between accepting the sign and coming to a set. That brought #WILDPITCHOFFENSE into play, and Núñez tested it by bouncing a slider, and while William Simoneit blocked it, the size of the miss may have taken the pitch out of play.
Núñez then missed wide with a fastball to fall behind 3-0, but came back with a strike looking and a strike swinging on a pair of 99-mph two-seamers. Elko fouled a third one back, but when Núñez tried a fourth one in the same spot, Elko squared it up just enough. Farm Fortnight readers may remember that Elko hadn't homered since May 28, but this drive to right-center ended the drought for a walk-off homer.
Elko is now hitting .317/.359/.472 this season, and .367/.412/.481 in June. After all that, the Barons are 2-0 in the second half.
Charlotte 6, Norfolk 4
- Oscar Colás went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts, but he did record two outfield assists.
- Bryan Ramos finally woke up, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a strikeout.
- Zach DeLoach had his second straight golden sombrero, this during an 0-for-5 night.
- Adam Hackenberg was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
Barons 8, Tennessee 7
- Jacob Gonzalez went 1-fo-5 with a strikeout and a stolen base.
- Terrell Tatum was 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.
- Brooks Baldwin rediscovered slugging, going 4-for-5 with two homers and a double.
- So did Tim Elko, who went 2-for-5 with a walk-off homer and two strikeouts.
- Edgar Quero also went deep during a 1-for-4 night.
- Wilfred Veras was 0-for-2 with a walk, strikeout, HBP and stolen base.
- Tyler Schweitzer: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 59 of 86 pitches for strikes.
Rome 4, Winston-Salem 2 (11 innings)
- Samuel Zavala went 1-for-4 with two walks and two strikeouts.
- Loidel Chapelli went 0-for-5 with a strikeout, and was caught stealing.
- DJ Gladney, 2-for-5.
- Ryan Galanie was 3-for-5 with a strikeout.
- Calvin Harris was 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Wes Kath struck out thrice during an 0-for-5 night.
- Eddie Park went 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base.
- Nice rebound for Tanner McDougal: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 1 WP, 51 of 83 pitches for strikes.
Columbia 7, Kannapolis 2
- Rikuu Nishida went 2-for-5 with a strikeout and a stolen base.
- Ronny Hernandez was 0-for-3 with a walk.
- George Wolkow, 2-for-4.
- Ryan Burrowes went 0-for-3 with an HBP and a K.
- Jake Peppers: 2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 28 of 50 pitches for strikes.
