BayBears breeze past Barons

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) - With 26 innings played over the previous two contests, it was just a regular, old nine-inning ballgame at Regions Park on Thursday night as the BayBears rolled by the Birmingham Barons 6-2.

Matt Torra (6-6) tossed seven solid innings of one-run, four-hit ball while the BayBears (43-38, 6-5) were paced on offense by All-Star shortstop Pedro Ciriaco who smacked three extra-base hits including his second home run of the season.

Ciriaco kicked the BayBears off in the fourth inning against Kyle McCulloch (6-8) with a ground ball double down the third base line. Ciriaco came home as Chris Rahl punched a double down the right field line to put the BayBears on top. After a grounder to second pushed Rahl to third, he came home on a sac fly by Cyle Hankerd.

McCulloch made an 0-2 mistake to Ciriaco to begin the sixth as Ciriaco pounded the pitch down the left field line and over the fence to extend the BayBears' advantage to three. Birmingham (52-27, 4-6) was responsible for three more tallies in the seventh as the frame began with successive singles by Ricardo Sosa, Pete Clifford and Mark Hallberg.

James Skelton bounced out to first to bring Sosa to the dish while Evan Frey smashed a line drive off C.J. Retherford's glove to score Clifford. Hallberg was next to come home as Ciriaco laced another two-base hit with a one-hop rocket that bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double.

Torra's shutout was finally broken with Stefan Gartrell's 15th homer in the seventh. Birmingham would also manage an unearned run against Ramon Sanchez who recorded the final six outs.

The BayBears finish their six-game series with the Barons on Friday night at 6:05 as Wes Roemer (3-5, 3.77) takes the hill. The BayBears are home for Independence Day on Saturday night as they host the Chattanooga Lookouts at 7:05. For Hank Aaron Stadium tickets, call (251) 479-BEAR or log on to www.mobilebaybears.com.