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SL1 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

Suns Clinch 2009 Southern League Championship

September 20, 2009 - Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release


Kodak, Tenn. - Starting pitcher Elih Villanueva hit a fourth inning, three-run homerun to open the lead for good leading the Jacksonville Suns (6-1) to a 7-3 victory over the Tennessee Smokies (4-4), clinching the fourth Southern League Championship in franchise history before a crowd of 1,416 Saturday night at Smokies Park.

Villanueva (1-0) allowed three runs and five hits over five innings of work for the victory. Smokies starter Andrew Cashner (0-1) fell in the loss, allowing four earned runs, four hits and three walks over four innings of work. Matt Peterson (3) saved the game, recording the final two outs.

Tennessee opened the scoring in the second inning, scoring two runs off Suns starter Elih Villanueva on a Tony Thomas double for a 2-0 score.

The teams traded runs in the third inning, Jacksonville scoring on a Logan Morrison RBI single while Tennessee added a run on a Ty Wright homerun for a 3-1 score.

Jacksonville took the lead for good in the fourth inning as Elih Villanueva belted a two-out, three-run homerun to open a 4-3 lead. The blast was the first for a Jacksonville pitcher during 2009.

The Suns added two runs in the sixth inning off reliever Jayson Ruhlman for a 6-3 lead. Scott Cousins reached on an error, moved to second on an error on a pickoff throw and scored on a third error in the inning. Later Andy Jenkins grounded out to knock in Kevin Randel for the second run of the inning.

Jacksonville added an insurance run in the seventh inning as Scott Cousins belted a two-out, RBI double over the right fielder for a 7-3 score.

Suns outfielder Bryan Petersen finished the Southern League Championship Series 8-for-19 at the plate, securing the Most Valuable Player award.

The League Championship is the ninth in the City of Jacksonville's professional baseball history (1904-present), and fourth since the Suns joined the Double-A Southern League (1970-present).

2010 season tickets are available through the Suns box office at (904) 358-2846 or by visiting jaxsuns.com.

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