Published: July 01, 2009 10:42 pm      

BASEBALL: Brooks wins marathon game in Birmingham

It’s two appearances and two wins on the mound for North Tonawanda native Ricky Brooks.

The right-handed reliever gave up just one hit and no runs in the final four innings of the Birmingham Barons’ 16-inning win over division rival Mobile on Tuesday night.

Brooks is now 2-0 in as many games since being called up to Double-A Birmingham late last week. Brooks got the win in his first action with the Barons on Friday night over Mississippi. He entered that game in the bottom of the seventh with the score tied at 4-4.

“I’ve been on the mound twice now for this team, both times in big situations,” Brooks told the Tonawanda News on Wednesday. “I’m just glad they have confidence in me to get it done.”

Birmingham, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, called Brooks up Thursday from Class A Advanced Winston-Salem, for which Brooks had pitched 12 2/3 innings this season.

Through two games of his Double-A debut, Brooks has put up mostly zeroes in six innings of work, including allowing only one hit and no walks.

The NT High School and East Carolina University product said he relished being in such a tense situation of Tuesday’s game. “That’s what relievers are paid to do. You’ve got be ready to go in,” he said. “It’s exciting knowing any hit, any walk can turn into something bigger. As a reliever, you’ve got to put up a zero.”

Brooks relieved Matt Long to start the top of the 13th inning of Tuesday’s game, his first at the Barons’ Regions Park. Immediately, Brooks went to work. “I just got in a groove and started throwing strikes,” he said.

Brooks got the first hitter he faced to pop out in foul territory. The next batter lined out softly to second base. His third hitter, Ricardo Sosa, struck out swinging.

Mobile’s Evan Frey got the only hit on Brooks, in the 14th inning, when he singled on a ground ball to left field, but the BayBears still couldn’t threaten.

With Brooks still on the mound, Mobile’s half of the 15th inning went like this: Bryan Byrne grounds out, Sean Coughlin strikes out swinging, and Cyle Hankerd flies out to center.

Brooks retired the first three BayBears to step to the plate in the 16th, allowing Birmingham to score the winning run in the bottom half of the inning.

Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.