Suns rout Smokies, 9-3
August 17, 2003 - Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. â The Suns scored in waves in a 9-3 victory over the Tennessee Smokies in front of 3,342 fans Sunday at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
Two four-run innings â in the first and sixth â off Smokies starter Julio Villalon built a large lead for the Suns. It equaled the largest margin of victory for the Suns in more than two months.
In the first inning, Reggie Abercrombie doubled in Jason Repko who led off the game with a triple, giving the Suns a 1-0 lead. Brennan King and Victor Rodriguez followed with run-scoring singles for Jacksonville (59-66 overall, 28-28 second half).
Leading 4-0, Suns starter Will McCrotty ran into trouble in the fourth when the Smokies scored three runs. Bucky Jacobsen hit his league-leading 28th home run, a two-run mammoth shot. It was his second in two nights vs. the Suns. Shaun Boyd's RBI single pulled Tennessee (66-59, 31-24) to within a run.
The Suns blasted a tiring Villalon in the sixth. King launched his fifth home run of the season, a two-run blast to increase the lead to 6-3. Repko and Tony Socarras each had run-scoring singles to pad the advantage. Tarrik Brock scored Abercrombie on an infield single in the seventh inning to cap the scoring.
Villalon (4-6) earned the loss, allowing eight runs in 5-1/3 innings. He has lost five consecutive starts. While McCrotty (3-5) won back-to-back starts for the first time, delivering six innings and allowing three runs.
Repko had three hits in the leadoff spot to lead all batters. Franklin Gutierrez tripled and doubled and has 15 total bases in 15 at bats since joining the Suns on Thursday.
Left-hander Greg Miller (1-1, 0.45 ERA) is scheduled to face Smokies righty Nick Stocks (9-7, 4.81) at 6:05 p.m. Monday at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
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Southern League Stories from August 17, 2003
- Barons Down Lookouts, 5-3 - Birmingham Barons
- Suns rout Smokies, 9-3 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Suns Burn Smokies - Knoxville Smokies
- O-Rays Need Extra Innings to Get by Jaxx - Orlando Rays
- G-Braves, Mudcats Washed Out - Mississippi Braves
- Barons Blast Lookouts, 12-6 - Birmingham Barons
- Shelley Steers Stars Past Bears, 3-1 - Huntsville Stars
- G-Braves Take Two From Mudcats - Mississippi Braves
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