SL1 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

Morrison Homers, Suns Beat Barons 11-1

Published on June 7, 2013 under Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Logan Morrison's two-run homer highlighted a seven-run sixth inning for the Jacksonville Suns (31-27), who beat the Birmingham Barons (38-23) 11-1 in game one of a five-game series at Regions Field.

Morrison, with the Suns on a Major League rehab assignment, hit his second home run in a Jacksonville uniform as part of the big sixth frame for the road squad. The win allowed the Suns to keep pace with both the Mississippi Braves and Mobile BayBears in the Southern League South division race.

Despite Jacksonville's scoring barrage, it was Birmingham that struck first in the bottom of the third inning. Facing Suns starter Adam Conley (5-2), Trayce Thompson doubled in Marcus Semien to give the Barons a 1-0 advantage.

It would be the last time the Suns trailed on Friday evening, however. Jacksonville, up against BayBears left-hander Scott Snodgress (7-4), put a pair of runners on in the top of fourth ahead of Kyle Jensen. Jensen promptly doubled in Danny Pertusati to tie the game, and the Suns forged ahead on J.T. Realmuto's ensuing sacrifice fly.

Morrison drove in his first run of the evening with an RBI groundout in the top of the fifth to make it 3-1, Jacksonville, but his biggest hit was yet to come. The Suns jumped on Barons reliever Santos Rodriguez, plating three runs before Morrison came to the plate in the frame. The middle run scored on Jake Marisnick's screaming RBI double off the wall in left.

Up 7-1, The Suns sent Morrison to the plate with Pertusati on first, and the designated hitter launched a Rodriguez offering over the wall in right field to break it open. Morrison finished his night 2-for-5 with the home run and three runs batted in.

A subsequent pitching change didn't help matters for Birmingham, as Jensen hit his Southern League-leading 12th home run off new reliever Josh Romanski. The solo shot, the second of back-to-back blasts, made it a 10-1 Suns lead. Mark Canha's RBI double in the top of the ninth closed out the game's scoring.

Friday marked a banner offensive night for the Suns, especially for the top seven hitters in the order. Each of the top seven batters in the lineup finished with multiple hits against Barons pitching, and the group combined to go 15-for-32 with ten RBI's.

The left-hander Conley, meanwhile, turned in one of his better efforts in 2013 for the Suns. The number ten Marlins prospect threw a season-high 101 pitches, tossing six innings and allowing just one run on seven hits. The southpaw also registered eight strikeouts and did not walk a batter.

The series opening win puts the Suns four games over the .500 mark entering game two of the five-game set on Saturday evening in Birmingham. The Suns will tap right-hander Jay Jackson (2-3, 2.74) with the start, while the Barons, seeking to close in on a North division title, send righty Nick McCully (5-1, 2.84) to the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Suns fans can listen to Saturday'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 7:15 p.m. E.T. with the UF and Shands Suns Pre-Game Show.

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Southern League Stories from June 7, 2013


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