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SL1 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

Homers Power Suns to 4-3 Victory

June 2, 2011 - Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Jacksonville Suns (30-24) picked up a series win against the Carolina Mudcats (16-38) as the Suns homered their way to a 4-3 win in front of 5,126 fans at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville on Thursday night.

Starter Brad Hand (7-1) picked up his Southern League-best seventh win of the season after tossing a strong six and two-thirds innings while giving up a pair of runs on seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts. While the ace of the staff Hand picked up the win, the bullpen ace Sandy Rosario also continued his dominant ways on the mound, pitching a scoreless ninth to preserve the Suns win and his league-leading fifteenth save of the season.

The Suns took an early lead thanks to a controversial two-run home run by Luke Montz. Montz hit a ball well out of the ballpark down the left field line that was originally ruled foul. However the umpires got together and overturned the call, ruling it a two-run homer for Montz to put the score at 2-0.

Carolina manager David Bell and also his hitting coach Ryan Jackson were both ejected following the home run call by the umpires. Montz now has 12 home runs this season, which is second-best in the Southern League behind Mobile's Paul Goldschmidt.

The Mudcats would answer back with runs in the third and fourth to tie the game at two. Jacksonville's Alex Romero quickly broke the tie with a leadoff home run off Carolina starter James Avery (3-7) to put the Suns back on top at 3-2. The Suns added to the lead in the fifth inning with a Tim Torres RBI single to give the Suns a two-run advantage.

To lead off the eighth inning, Carolina shortstop Jake Kahaulelio hit a solo homer off Suns reliever and former Mudcat Graham Taylor to cut the score to 4-3 in favor of Jacksonville. However this is as close as the Mudcats would get following strong relief pitching by Taylor, Jhan Marinez, and finally Rosario in the ninth as the Suns won 4-3.

At six games over the five-hundred mark, the 30-24 record is the best the Suns have had in 2010, and the win guarantees the Suns will remain at least tied for the South Division lead with 16 games left to play in the first half.

The clubs will play the fifth and final game of the series on Friday night at the Baseball Grounds. Right-hander Joey O'Gara (3-1, 4.53 ERA) will start for Jacksonville while Carolina will start right-hander Tim Gustafson (0-0, 6.00 ERA). Friday night will be "Family Faith Night" at the Baseball Grounds, featuring postgame post-game fireworks and a post-game concert by award-winning Christian artist Francesca Battistelli. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m., and fans can listen to the game beginning at 6:50 p.m. on with the U.F. & Shands Pregame Show on Jacksonville's WFXJ AM 930 the Fox and www.jaxsuns.com.

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