Suns Comeback to Defeat Mudcats 6-5
Published on July 28, 2011 under Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release
ZEBULON, N.C. - A three-run ninth inning comeback powered the Jacksonville Suns (16-17, 53-50) to a 6-5 victory over the Carolina Mudcats (14-19, 37-66) on Thursday night at Five County Stadium. The win is Jacksonville's fourth straight and gives the Suns a series win over the Mudcats in the six-game series in Zebulon.
Trailing 5-3 going into the top of the ninth, the Suns comeback featured Luke Montz hitting a game-tying, pinch-hit home run over the scoreboard in left field to tie the game at five. Following Montz's heroics, Kevin Mattison reached on an infield single, and then reached third base when he stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Mudcats catcher Yasmani Grandal.
With the infield drawn in, Chris Gutierrez hit a ground ball to the third baseman Jake Kahaulelio who threw home in attempt to throw out Mattison. Mattison beat out the throw to put the Suns ahead 6-5, as Gutierrez reached first and picked up the RBI on the fielder's choice.
Sandy Rosario, who rejoined the Suns earlier Thursday from Triple-A New Orleans, pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his Southern League-best 21st save in 2011. Ramon Benjamin (1-0), who threw two innings in relief, earned the win, his first in his Southern League career.
Jacksonville got off to a hot start against Carolina, with Gutierrez delivering an RBI double and Ben Lasater hitting an RBI single to give the Suns a 2-0 lead. The Mudcats tied the game when Grandal hit a two-run homer off Jacksonville starter Omar Poveda in the second to even the score at two. The Mudcats broke the tie in the bottom of the fourth when their pitcher Brandon Hynick hit an RBI double to put Carolina ahead 3-2. Carolina first baseman Neftali Soto added to the lead with a solo homer in the fifth to give the Mudcats a two-run advantage.
After Jim Negrych cut the score to 4-3 with an RBI single in the top of the eighth, the Mudcats got their two-run lead right back when Josh Fellhauer hit an RBI single of his own to put the score at 5-3 going into the ninth.
Jacksonville's comeback began against Chris Mobley (1-4), who blew his second save and took his second loss in the series, with Kyle Skipworth hitting a leadoff double to centerfield, capping a 3-4 night at the plate for the Jacksonville catcher. The three-run uprising in the ninth powered the Suns to the victory, putting Jacksonville only one game under the five-hundred mark in the season's second half.
The Suns and Mudcats will play the fifth game of the six-game series at Five County Stadium on Friday night. Left-handed pitcher Graham Taylor (2-5, 4.41 ERA) will pitch for Jacksonville against Carolina's right-hander James Avery (5-9, 4.18 ERA). Friday's game will start at 7:15 p.m. ET, and fans can listen to the contest beginning at 7:00 p.m. with the U.F. & Shands Pregame Show on Jacksonville's WFXJ AM 930 the Fox and www.jaxsuns.com.
Southern League Stories from July 28, 2011
- Smokies Fall to Biscuits 5-1 Thursday Night - Knoxville Smokies
- Pollock Unloads as BayBears Win Again - Mobile BayBears
- Barons Outshine Stars, 3-2 - Birmingham Barons
- Biscuits Silence Smokies Again - Montgomery Biscuits
- M-Braves Drop Eighth-Straight to BayBears - Mississippi Braves
- Suns Comeback to Defeat Mudcats 6-5 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Carolina Falls in Ninth to Sun - Carolina Mudcats
- Webster Tosses Shutout for Lookouts in Rout of Generals - Jackson Generals
- Lookouts Blank Generals, 10-0 - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Clevenger Promoted To Triple-A Iowa Thursday - Knoxville Smokies
- Generals Notes Thursday - Jackson Generals
- Hand Returns to Big Leagues - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- RHP Matt Klinker Heads to DL - Carolina Mudcats
- Suns Burn the Biscuits and Leap the Lookouts Through August 9th - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
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