Biscuits Offense Comes Alive in Convincing Win

[Via e-mail from Biscuits Joe Davis]

HOOVER, AL – The Biscuits (21-18) offense came alive against the Southern League’s ERA leader for its biggest run-output in the month of May and its highest hit-total of the season, besting the Birmingham Barons (11-28) 9-4 on 15 hits Wednesday afternoon at Regions Park.

For the fifth time in the series, the Barons scored first. David Newmann, who now has allowed eight of his last nine runs in the first inning, walked Dale Mollenhauer with one out, then gave up a single to Jim Gallagher. Brent Morel followed with a double to make it 1-0 Barons. After Christian Marrero walked to load the bags, Newmann used a double-play to get out of the frame.

The Biscuits answered back with just their second frame of more than two runs in the last 124 innings. After the first two were retired, Matt Fields singled then moved to third on a JJ Furmaniak double. Chris Nowak delivered with a single to put the Biscuits up 2-1, and after moving up to second on the throw to the plate, Nowak scored on a John Matulia single to make it 3-1.

The Barons got a leadoff double from Buck Coats in the bottom half of the third, then a Brent Morel two-out walk. Marrero followed with a double to tie the game at 3-3.

One frame later, a fielder’s choice bouncer from Drew Anderson scored Craig Albernaz, and Furmaniak single brought home Anderson to make it 5-3 Biscuits. They’d add one more in the fifth inning on a bases-loaded catcher’s interference call, widening the lead to 6-3.

Birmingham got a solo-homer from Coats in the seventh to bring the Barons to within 6-4. But Furmaniak came through with his second RBI of the day, this time on a two-out single to score Anderson. Matulia and Albernaz both scored in the top of the ninth to cushion the lead back to 9-4.

Newmann allowed three runs on four hits, but only pitched 4.0 and didn’t qualify for the win. Justin Garcia (2-2) allowed a run on two hits in three relief innings for the victory.

Charlie Shirek (2-1) allowed five runs on ten hits in 3.2 innings in the loss. Previously, he had pitched at least six innings in all seven starts, and had never allowed more than a single run in an outing.

Furmaniak led the way for the Biscuits, going 3-5 with a pair of RBI and a runs scored. Emeel Salem, Nowak, Matulia, and Strait each collected two hits apiece.

RHP Jeremy Hall tosses for the Biscuits in the first of six against West Tenn Thursday at 7:05. The Diamond Jaxx will send RHP Michael Pineda to the hill.