The Birmingham Barons are in a weird position during the final week of the regular season. They're in the middle of a six-game series with the Tennessee Smokies in Kodak, Tenn., and after that's done, they'll start a best-of-three series in the Southern League semifinals with ... the Tennessee Smokies in Kodak, Tenn.
Given that the series is set and there's nothing to play for, I'm wondering if we'll see scores as strange as Wednesday's. Birmingham won 14-2, including five hits for Wilfred Veras, and three more runs for Rikuu Nishida. He's now at 112 for the season, which ties Noah Hall in 2005 for the most runs scored by a White Sox prospect this century.
Jacksonville 3, Charlotte 1 (Game 1, 7 innings)
- Tim Elko went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Colson Montgomery walked twice and struck out twice.
- Oscar Colás was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
- Michael Soroka: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
- Steven Wilson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Jacksonville 4, Charlotte 3 (Game 2, 7 innings)
- Tim Elko came a triple shy of the cycle while going 3-for-4, striking out in the other PA.
- Colson Montgomery went 1-for-3 with a walk.
- Oscar Colás, 1-for-3.
Birmingham 14, Tennessee 2
- Rikuu Nishida went 2-for-5 with an HBP, stolen base and three runs scored.
- Wilfred Veras was 5-for-6 with a double and a strikeout at the plate, and 1-for-2 on the basepaths.
- Terrell Tatum went 2-for-6 with a double and three strikeouts.
- Juan Carela: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
