Suns Clinch Second Half Division Title
September 4, 2010 - Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release
Jacksonville, Fla. - The first half champion Jacksonville Suns (80-58, 40-28) secured the second half South Division championship, and back-to-back seasons of at least 80 wins, with a 9-8 win over the Montgomery Biscuits (71-65, 33-35) in front of 5,255 Saturday night at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
For only the second time in Southern League history each division was won by the same team in both halves, as the Tennessee Smokies also secured both halves in the North. In 1992 the Greenville Braves (100-43) won both halves of the Eastern Division while the Chattanooga Lookouts (90-53) took the Western Division. The Smokies are the 15th and the Suns the 16th team in League history to win both halves of their respective divisions in a single season.
The Suns will host games one and two and the if-necessary games four and five in the best-of-five South Division series against the wild card Mobile BayBears (Mobile secured the next-best overall record with the Suns win). Game three in the series will be played at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Ala.
Saturday's win secured the 16th season of at least 80 wins in Jacksonville's professional baseball history, a history dating back to 1904. The first Jacksonville team to win over 80 games was the 1927 Jacksonville Tars, finishing 90-63 before winning the Class-B Southeastern League. In Jacksonville's history in the Southern League (1970-present), the Suns won 80 or more games for the ninth time overall, and the fourth time in five seasons.
Suns reliever Jay Buente (1-0) secured the win after dealing a scoreless ninth inning. Biscuits reliever Dane de la Rosa (9-3) took the losing decision after giving up a bases loaded walk in the ninth inning to end the game.
Jacksonville scored the game-winning run in the ninth inning with two out. Ryan Curry led off the frame with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Kevin Mattison. After an intentional walk of Lorenzo Scott and his move to second on indifference, Ozzie Martinez hit a ground ball to the drawn-in third baseman. Curry collided with catcher Craig Albernaz, who held on to the throw for the second out. Ozzie moved to second on indifference before an intentional walk of Vinny Rottino to load the bases. Matt Dominguez then walked after a nine-pitch plate appearance to force in the game-ending run.
Before the ninth inning, the game went back-and forth. Drew Anderson and Craig Albernaz hit solo home runs in the second inning, opening a 2-0 Biscuits lead.
The Suns rallied for three runs in the third inning with RBI doubles from Scott, Martinez and Lee Mitchell for a 3-2 Suns advantage.
Montgomery took the lead back in the fourth inning, scoring four times against starter Elih Villanueva. Mike Folli drove in Matt Fields with a single for a 3-3 score. Albernaz scored on a Villanueva throwing error and Folli came in on an Eldridge sacrifice fly. Henry Wrigley's single with two out score Shawn O'Malley for a 6-3 Biscuits lead.
Jacksonville stormed back to the lead beginning with a fifth inning run on a two-out infield hit from Mitchell, scoring Rottino, for a 6-4 score. The Suns then rallied with two outs in the sixth inning. Montgomery reliever Heath Rollins put the first two hitters down with ground ball, then walked Mattison and Scott. Martinez next singled home Mattison for a 6-5 game. Rottino then doubled home Scott and Martinez for a 7-6 lead. Mitchell later singled home Rottino to open an 8-6 lead.
The Biscuits tied the game with an unearned run in the seventh inning, a Matt Fields groundout bringing in the run, and an Eldridge RBI ground rule double in the eighth inning for an 8-8 score.
Suns RH Tom Koehler (16-2) will try for a new franchise record for single-season wins facing Biscuits RH Alex Cobb in game three of the series Sunday at 7:05 p.m. ET. Tickets are available through the Suns box office at 358-2846 or by visiting jaxsuns.com.
Southern League Stories from September 4, 2010
- Playoff Hopes Gone with Heartbreaking Loss - Montgomery Biscuits
- Suns Clinch Second Half Division Title - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- BayBears Clinch Playoff Spot after Doubleheader Split - Mobile BayBears
- Jaxx Win Again On Saturday Against Lookouts - Jackson Generals
- Michael Daniel's grand-slam pushes Braves past Barons - Mississippi Braves
- Tennessee wins over Carolina - Carolina Mudcats
- Huntsville Stars Activate Buller - Huntsville Stars
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