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SL1 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

Gaudin tosses perfect game vs. Suns, but Jacksonville Wins Game Two

July 15, 2003 - Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Suns split a doubleheader with the Orlando Rays, winning the nightcap, 3-2, and losing, 1-0, in the first game in front of 3,733 fans Tuesday at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

Rays right-hander Chad Gaudin threw a perfect game in the first game, retiring all 21 Suns batters. Gaudin, 20, made his first Southern League start and struck out nine, including Suns outfielder Reggie Abercrombie to end the game.

It is the second perfect game in the 40-year history of the Southern League. Charles Swanson of the Montgomery Rebels completed a 27-out, nine-inning perfect game in a 3-0 win over the Savannah Indians on August 14, 1970.

Gaudin was a 34th round selection of the Devil Rays in 2001 and is pitching in his second professional season. The New Orleans native joined the Rays on Sunday.

There were two close plays where the Suns nearly broke up the perfect game. In the fifth inning, Derek Michaelis lined a ball down the right field line. Rays first baseman Dan Grummitt dove, catching the ball on one hop and flipped to Gaudin who stepped on the bag just ahead of Michaelis. In the sixth, Tony Socarras hit a looping line drive to right field which Jesus Feliciano dove and caught head first.

Gaudin went to three balls on one hitter and there were no plays that were controversial. The strike zone was a bit on the tight side, in fact.

However, Gaudin almost had to pitch an eighth inning. The Rays didn't score until the fifth when Feliciano hit a liner to right center field. The ball deflected off Abercrombie's glove just out of his reach, falling for a run-scoring double off Suns starter Joel Hanrahan.

Hanrahan (9-4) pitched all seven innings, scattering five hits, walking one and striking out seven.

The game lasted one hour, 31 minutes, the shortest game for either team this season.

In the nightcap, the Suns averted a late-inning disaster to beat the Rays, 3-2. With two outs in the seventh, Suns starter Heath Totten gave up an infield single to Heath Kelly. Closer Jason Frasor gave up a double to pinch-hitter Grummitt and an RBI single to Feliciano, putting runners at first and third with two outs. Frasor induced Amado German to fly to deep left field, ending the game and giving Frasor his eighth save in as many opportunities.

Totten (6-9) narrowly missed completing his third game in his last four starts. He walked none and struck out four while earning his third win in a row.

Abercrombie, who celebrated his 22nd birthday Tuesday, went 3-for-3 in the nightcap and hit his 12th home run of the year, a blast to left field which landed beyond the ballpark's outer fence. Brennan King homered to lead off the fourth inning to give the Suns a 2-0 lead.

Rays starter Scott Autrey (0-2) pitched all six innings, but earned the loss.

SUNS SPOTS: Frasor was the only relief pitcher used by either team in either game. ...The two games were the fastest played by the Suns this season. ...The last time the Suns were no-hit was July 22, 1999, when West Tenn's Dave Manning beat the Suns in a 1-0 Diamond Jaxx victory. ...The last Rays no-hitter came May 22, 2002, when Gerardo Garcia beat Tennessee, 2-0.

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