AUBURN | Auburn got a big inning and a shutdown start, and it still wasn’t enough.

The Tigers blew a 7-0 lead as No. 8 Kentucky stormed back for a 13-8 win Saturday afternoon at Plainsman Park to complete a three-game sweep.

The Wildcats jumped on Auburn’s bullpen for 12 runs on 10 hits including four home runs over the final 5.0 innings. UK hit 11 home runs in the series after Tennessee hit 14 last weekend and Texas A&M nine the week before.

Auburn, which has lost six consecutive games, finishes the first half of SEC play 18-17 overall and 2-13 in the league.

“Our whole challenge this first half is not being able to do enough required on the mound, not a good enough standard to have a chance to get the result you want,” said AU coach Butch Thompson.

“We gave up five or six runs today with an open base. It’s not what you throw, it’s where you throw it. Until we can start executing those pitches, they’re going to keep teeing off.”

Tanner Bauman threw four shutout innings before giving up a leadoff single in the fifth and turning it over to John Armstrong, who allowed the leadoff runner to score plus two more as Kentucky cut the lead to 7-3.

Armstrong gave up a leadoff home run in the sixth before turning it over to Cam Tilly, who allowed four runs on four hits and a walk in 0.2 innings. Griffin Graves gave up a two-run home run before getting the final out in the sixth as the Wildcats plated six in the inning.

Ben Schorr gave up a three-run home run in the eighth and Alex Pertrovic one run over the final 1.2 innings.

Tilly (3-1) took the loss.

Auburn had two hits, a single and Eric Guevara's first-career home run in the ninth, over the final six innings. AU left the bases loaded in the sixth and eighth, stranding 12 total base runners.

The Tigers broke on top in the second inning with a solo home run by Cade Belyeu and a sacrifice fly by Cooper Weiss.

Auburn scored five in the third on just two hits along with three walks, a hit batter and an error. Chris Stanfield and Weiss had sacrifice flies, Guevara an RBI-groundout, Cale Stricklin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Cooper McMurray had an RBI-single.

Guevara was 3 of 5 with two runs scored and two RBI.

Auburn hosts Georgia Tech Tuesday night at 6 p.m. CT before a three-game series at No. 22 Mississippi State beginning Friday