SL1 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

Ball hitting helmet puts game in hand

Published on June 27, 2003 under Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When Birmingham Barons reliever Royce Ring uncorked a slow breaking ball that hit Suns catcher Tony Socarras in the helmet, the crowd roared with delight.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, Socarras was hit by the pitch to score Tarrik Brock in the Suns' 2-1 victory Friday in front of 8,067 fans at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

Suns starter Heath Totten (4-9) pitched a complete game, the first for the Suns this season. He scattered 10 hits, walked none and struck out five while throwing 101 pitches. He allowed a fifth inning run to the Barons (38-39 overall, 5-4 second half). Darron Ingram scored when Guillermo Reyes grounded into a double play. Until the ninth, Totten was boosted by a single run, Victor Diaz's first inning home run, his seventh.

Ingram also subtracted a run from the Suns' ledger. Reggie Abercrombie hit a foul pop up to Barons catcher Carlos Maldonado, who dropped it, giving Abercrombie a second chance. On the next pitch from reliever Jeff Bajenaru, Abercrombie hit a ball over the wall in left, but Ingram leapt and caught it, saving the go-ahead run.

But the Suns (36-43, 5-5) exacted revenge in the ninth off Bajenaru (4-2) who earned the loss. Brock doubled to lead off the inning. Two walks, one reliever – Ring – and four batters later, Socarras was plunked, sending the Suns to its fourth victory in five games.

Barons starter Tetsu Yofu allowed one run over six innings but did not factor in the decision. Ingram, Chad Durham, Danny Sandoval and Jeremy Reed each had two hits to lead Birmingham.

Right-hander Edwin Jackson (3-5, 2.95 ERA) is scheduled to face Barons lefty and Southern League ERA leader Neal Cotts (7-2, 1.98) at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at the Baseball Grounds.

SUNS SPOTS: SS Gookie Dawkins was named Southern League Player of the Week for the week of June 20-26. Dawkins hit .364 (8-for-22), drove in seven runs and scored three times. He smacked three home runs and had three multi-hit games. For the week, the 24-year-old had a .773 slugging percentage and a .364 on-base percentage.

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Southern League Stories from June 27, 2003


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