Desmond Jennings Has 5 Hits, Montgomery Biscuits Lose 14-9

[Via email from the Montgomery Biscuits' broadcaster Jon Laaser.]

Despite surrendering 18 hits to the Biscuits (13-16), the Birmingham Barons (19-8) claimed their third consecutive victory, 14-9, on Friday night in front of 5,221 at Riverwalk Stadium.

Montgomery had enjoyed an early lead, pouncing on Barons' starter Kyle McCulloch for two runs in the opening inning. Rhyne Hughes supplied the first with an RBI single to plate Desmond Jennings with the first run of the ballgame. Fernando Cortez made it 2-0 when he singled to bring home Rashad Eldridge.

The Barons got a run back in the second, but the Biscuits added to their lead with two more runs courtesy of an Eldridge two-run single in the bottom of the frame. When Jason Bowers brought home Drew Anderson with an RBI single in the third, the Biscuits led, 5-1.

Although he allowed five earned runs on 11 hits in six innings, McCulloch (4-2) ultimately earned the win for Birmingham when the Barons stormed back through the middle innings.

Birmingham plated three runs in the fifth inning off of Biscuits' starter Jason Cromer before the flood gates opened in the sixth inning. Ryan Reid relieved Cromer to finish the fifth inning, and returned in the sixth. C.J. Retherford opened the inning with a double and things went downhill from there. In all, 11 batters came to the plate, with eight scoring, the inning culminating with Retherford batting for the second time and clubbing a three-run home run off of Neal Frontz, who relieved Reid. Reid (0-1) took the loss, conceding seven runs, three of which were earned.

The Biscuits battled back with a run in the seventh and three more on Rhyne Hughes' 10th home run of the season in the eighth, but Retherford sent his second home run of the game off of Eddie Morlan in the top of the ninth to cap the scoring.

Jennings tied a career-high with five hits in the game, while Hughes drove in four runs and Eldridge chipped in four hits. However, it wasn't enough as Birmingham claimed the series win with the victory.

The series concludes with Saturday's schedule 7:05 PM start. LHP Ryan Morse (2-3, 4.35) will make the start for Montgomery against LHP Aaron Poreda (2-3, 1.65) for Birmingham.