SL1 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

Biscuits Take Sunday Extra Inning Thriller

Published on September 2, 2007 under Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release


Jacksonville, Fla. - After the Suns scored two ninth inning runs to send Sunday's game to the tenth inning, Montgomery's Patrick Cottrell and Patrick Breen drove home runs in the extra frame to give the Montgomery Biscuits (80-59, 45-24) a 10-inning, 6-4 win over the Jacksonville Suns (80-59, 39-30) in front of 6,066 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

Monday's regular season finale will determine which team finishes with the best overall record during 2007. If the Suns win they would be the first modern Southern League team (1964-present) to achieve the best record while missing the playoffs.

The Suns faced Montgomery starter Chris Mason, who was recently voted the Southern League's Most Outstanding pitcher. Mason was far from outstanding in the first inning, forcing home Jacksonville runs with a bases loaded walk and bases loaded hit-by-pitch for a 2-0 Suns lead. Mason walked four in the inning while the Suns scored without a hit.

Montgomery's offense got to Suns starter Alvis Ojeda in the second inning when Patrick Cottrell singled home Chris Nowak, cutting the Suns lead to 2-1. The Biscuits took the lead during the third inning when Gabriel Martinez smashed a two-out, two-run double for a 3-2 Montgomery lead. Montgomery scored on Ojeda again in the fourth inning as Erold Andrus smashed a solo homerun for a 4-2 Biscuits lead.

After a rocky first inning Mason settled down, allowing only one baserunner in his final four innings of work on a fourth inning Alberto Concepcion single. Mason pitched five innings with two runs, one hit, four walks and four strikeouts. Reliever Nick DeBarr pitched three perfect innings of relief while keeping the Suns offense in check.

Mason stood to be the first Southern League pitcher to win 16 games in a season since Jacksonville's Dave Borkowski in 1998 until Jacksonville's ninth inning rally. A.J. Ellis started it against reliever Tim Corcoran with a leadoff homerun, his seventh of the season, cutting the lead to 4-3. A Cory Dunlap walk followed while Xavier Paul pinch ran. Anthony Raglani singled to put two on with one out. Following a strikeout, David Nicholson smashed a deep line drive off the top of the left-centerfield wall to score Paul, tying the game 4-4. Tommy Giles walked to load the bases, but James Tomlin bounced into a force play at home for the second out while a Blake DeWitt fly out ended the threat.

Montgomery immediately went to work in the tenth inning against Suns reliever Mark Alexander when a walk, double and intentional walk loaded the bases with no outs. Patrick Cottrell smashed a sacrifice fly to open a 5-4 Montgomery lead and Patrick Breen singled home the second runner for a 6-4 lead.

Jacksonville went down in order during the bottom of the tenth against reliever Jon Barratt, preserving the win for the Biscuits.

Barratt (4-10) picked up the victory for Montgomery while Jacksonville's Mark Alexander (5-1) picked up the relief loss.

The Suns and Biscuits meet in the series finale on Labor Day Monday at 3:05 p.m. Suns LH Greg Miller will face Biscuits LH Mike Prochaska. Monday is Fan Appreciation Day, with thousands of dollars worth of prizes given away. The last Suns game of the season is sponsored by WJXT TV-4 and Rock 105. Tickets are available by calling 904.358.2846 or by visiting jaxsuns.com.

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Southern League Stories from September 2, 2007


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