Suns Fall Short in 13 Innings, 5-4
May 8, 2013 - Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A pair of late inning rallies weren't enough for the Jacksonville Suns in game one of a five-game series against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, as they fell by a final score of 5-4 in 13 innings.
Jacksonville (16-12) rallied from one-run deficits in both the ninth and 12th innings, but ultimately could not secure the series opener at Bragan Field at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
"It was a lot of fun," Suns manager Andy Barkett said following the extra inning loss. "You've got to be proud of the effort. We came up a little short."
The Suns struck first when Christian Yelich tripled to lead off the bottom of the first inning and scored on Jake Marisnick's RBI single into center field. The hit extended Yelich's Southern League-best 12-game hitting streak to 13 contests.
Pensacola (12-17) broke through against Suns starter Jay Jackson in the top of the fourth on Tucker Barnhart's bloop single to right, scoring Ryan LaMarre to tie the game at one. It would be the only run Jackson allowed in five innings of work, as the right-hander struck out five and allowed just three hits.
"[Jackson] wasn't as sharp as I've seen him," Barkett said. "But he battled his tail off and kept us in it."
The game remained knotted until the sixth, when Jacksonville seized the lead against the wild Kyle Lotzkar. The Blue Wahoos' right-hander walked the bases loaded, and then hit Audy Ciriaco with a pitch to force in the Suns' second run of the night.
The Blue Wahoos didn't waste time erasing the deficit, however. After Bryson Smith led off the seventh with a double against Rett Varner, Michael Gilmartin singled him in with no one out. Two innings later, Pensacola took its first lead of the game on Steve Selsky's two-out, RBI single to jump ahead 3-2.
Needing just three outs to win, Blue Wahoos reliever Drew Hayes surrendered a game-tying single to Yelich but managed to escape a two-on, one-out jam and send the game to extra innings tied at three.
It wouldn't be the last game-tying hit of the evening for Yelich. After Pensacola forged ahead with a run in the top of the 12th, the Suns' center fielder came to the plate to lead off the bottom half and promptly lined a Wilkin De La Rosa (1-1) offering over the right field wall to tie the game 4-4. The long ball, Yelich's second of 2013, completed a 5-for-6 night for the Marlins number two overall prospect.
"It was one of the most impressive displays of a young hitter I've seen," Barkett said. "It was fun to watch him play and swing the bat."
It would be the last run of the night for Jacksonville, as the Blue Wahoos finally leapt in front for good on Brodie Green's run-scoring single off Collin Cargill in the 13th. De La Rosa then retired the Suns in order in the bottom half to seal the series-opening win for Pensacola.
The Suns will try to find the winning path again on Wednesday in game two of the five-game series against the Blue Wahoos. Jacksonville is set to start right-hander Sam Dyson (0-2, 2.96), while Pensacola turns to lefty Ryan Dennick (1-2, 3.86).
Suns fans can listen to Wednesday's game on the Suns Baseball Network, 94.1 WSOS-FM, or through jaxsuns.com, MiLB.com or the Suns iPhone or Android app, beginning at 12:50 p.m. with the UF and Shands Suns Pre-Game Show.
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Southern League Stories from May 8, 2013
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- Yelich's Homer Gives Suns 3-1 Victory - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
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- M-Braves Shatter Runs Record in Montgomery, 19-2 - Mississippi Braves
- Wahoos Make It Two Straight, Open Series with 5-4 Win - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Suns Fall Short in 13 Innings, 5-4 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
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