SL1 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

Suns Gain Ground in First Half Race with Thursday Victory

Published on May 29, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release


Hoover, Ala. - In a game that lasted over three and a half hours, it was the Jacksonville Suns (25-29) that outlasted the Birmingham Barons (31-23) with an 8-7 final in front of 6,368 on a muggy Thursday night at Regions Park.

With the win the third place Suns improved to six games back of the first place Barons in the Southern League South Division standings with 16 first half games remaining.

Jacksonville opened the scoring in the first inning, scoring four runs on six hits while sending ten batters to the place. James Tomlin doubled home Ivan DeJesus, Jr. for the 1-0 lead. Lucas May opened a 2-0 lead with a sacrifice fly while Juan Gonzalez's sacrifice extended the lead to 3-0. Shane Justis later singled home Mark Bellhorn for a 4-0 Suns lead. The Suns knocked Barons starter Ryan O'Malley out after nine batters in the first inning.

The Birmingham offense got O'Malley off the hook in the second inning, scoring five runs on six hits with ten batters against Suns starter Marlon Arias. Micah Schnurstein, Robbie Hudson, Robert Valido and Ricardo Nanita all contributed RBI hits, with Schnurstein scoring on an error, as Birmingham took a 5-4 lead. Arias left after two innings of work.

The Suns tied the game 5-5 in the third inning as Rene Rivera scored on a double play. Jacksonville regained the lead in the fifth inning when Ivan DeJesus, Jr. singled home Shane Justis for a 6-5 Suns lead.

Two more Jacksonville runs in the sixth inning extended the lead further as Mark Bellhorn's triple and a Rene Rivera single both drove home runs for an 8-5 Suns lead.

Birmingham made things interesting in the seventh inning, scoring on a Micah Schnurstein single and Miguel Negron fielder's choice against Suns reliever Zach Hammes while cutting the Jacksonville lead to 8-7.

Edwardo Sierra pitched the final inning and two-thirds to finish the Jacksonville win.

Brian Akin (2-5) picked up the relief win for the Suns after three scoreless innings. Birmingham reliever Fernando Hernandez (3-1) fell in the loss, allowing one unearned run over two innings. Sierra (5) saved the game for the Suns.

Suns RH Jesus Castillo will face Barons RH Carlos Torres Friday at 8:05 p.m. ET. Live radio coverage is available in Jacksonville on WFXJ-AM 930 on online at jaxsuns.com.

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Southern League Stories from May 29, 2008


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