SL1 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

Suns Outlast Wahoos, 8-6 in 16 Innings

Published on August 11, 2013 under Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release


PENSACOLA, Fla. - Chris Gutierrez's 16th inning home run helped give the Jacksonville Suns (28-20, 62-53) a dramatic, come-from behind victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (25-23, 50-67) in game four of a five-game series, as the Suns emerged with a 8-6 victory.

The Suns narrowly avoided a five-game losing streak on the heels of a season-best 11-game winning streak that vaulted the team into first place in the Southern League South division.

Isaac Galloway's grand slam in the top of the ninth inning erased a 6-2 Suns deficit and sent the game to extra innings, where the two teams then exchanged zeros until the 16th. Gutierrez's homer was his third of the 2013 season with Jacksonville. Derek Dietrich added a solo shot several batters later for an insurance run.

The Suns, as they did in their first three losses of the series, fell behind early. Left-handed starter Justin Nicolino struggled to settle in, as the Wahoos plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Mike Costanzo's RBI double scored Devin Lohman, and Travis Mattair's ensuing single sent Yorman Rodriguez across.

Pensacola increased the lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the third, getting another RBI from Costanzo as well as an extra run on a double play ball.

Wahoos right-hander Josh Smith put together one of his better 2013 starts, holding the Suns to just four hits over six scoreless innings. Smith struck out five and walked just one in earning his tenth win.

Jacksonville scored its only pre-ninth inning run in the top half of the seventh, denting the scoreboard on Michael Main's RBI single.

Trailing 6-1 entering the ninth, the Suns got a run closer on pinch-hitter Sharif Othman's RBI single. With the bases loaded, and his team down by four runs, Galloway then stepped to the plate and tied the game with his grand slam.

The Suns' bullpen combined to shut out Pensacola over the next eight frames, with Michael Brady earning the win and Arquimedes Caminero tallying the save with a scoreless bottom of the 16th inning.

The win clinched the Golden Skillet in the Suns' and Blue Wahoos' interstate rivalry, and sets up the final regular season meeting of the season between the two clubs on Sunday. The Suns will send Andrew Heaney (1-1, 5.00) to the mound, opposed by Pensacola right-hander Carlos Contreras (1-1, 3.05). First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. ET.

Suns fans can listen to Sunday'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 4:30 p.m. ET with Suns Sunday on the UF Health Suns Pre-Game Show.

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Southern League Stories from August 11, 2013


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