SL1 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

Walk off Homer Downs Suns, 4-3

Published on May 14, 2013 under Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release


MOBILE, Ala. - Nick Evans hit a walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning for the Mobile BayBears (19-19) as the Jacksonville Suns (20-15) dropped their third straight at Hank Aaron Stadium by a final of 4-3.

Jacksonville held a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning but could not make a winner of Matt Neil, who tossed seven solid innings for the Suns, a season-high for the right-hander.

For the first time in the series, it was Mobile fighting from behind as the Suns jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Kyle Jensen drove a pitch from BayBears starter David Holmberg to left for a double, scoring Christian Yelich and giving Jacksonville a 1-0 lead. The Suns would add on later in the inning as Audy Ciriaco's sacrifice fly made the advantage 2-0.

Mobile cut the lead in half in their first turn at bat, plating its first run on Jon Griffin's RBI groundout. After Mike Freeman crossed home plate, however, both Neil and Holmberg settled in, holding the bats silent for the next three and a half innings.

It was the BayBears that broke through first, tying the game in the bottom of the fifth on Ender Inciarte's single to left, scoring Nick Ahmed and knotting the ledger at two runs apiece. It would be the last run allowed by Neil, who pitched seven innings for the first time in 2013, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out four while walking none.

For a moment in the top of the eighth, it appeared as though the Suns would be able to reward Neil's effort with a winning decision. With reigning Southern League pitcher of the week Holmberg still in the game for Mobile, Jake Marisnick clobbered his second home run of the season over the left field wall to give Jacksonville a 3-2 lead with just six outs left to get.

Reliever Edgar Olmos (4-2) could not stem the tide, however. With a pair of runners on in the bottom of the eighth, Jon Griffin singled up the middle to score Justin Greene and tie the game at three, erasing any chance for Neil to pick up his second straight victory.

The Suns went scoreless in the top of the ninth, but appeared poised to send the game to extra innings after J.T. Realmuto made a tremendous defensive play in the bottom half. Rossmel Perez singled to begin the frame and advanced to second on Olmos' wild pitch. Nick Ahmed then attempted to bunt Perez to third, but popped the ball in the air. Realmuto caught the pop-up and fired a strike down to second to double off Perez.

The euphoria for the Suns was short-lived, however, as the very next hitter, nick Evans, powered an Olmos offering over the left field wall for a walk-off home run, giving the BayBears the 4-3 win.

The loss marked just the second time all season that the Suns have dropped three straight games, and the first time that the losses have all come to the same opponent. Eric Smith (1-3) picked up the win for Mobile with a scoreless top of the ninth in relief of Holmberg.

The Suns will try to snap the three-game losing streak against the BayBears in game four of the five-game set on Wednesday. Right-hander Robert Morey (0-0, 3.09) will try to play the role of stopper for Jacksonville, while the BayBears' Anthony Meo (0-3, 5.79) will be tasked with keeping Mobile's stranglehold over the series intact. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET.

Suns fans can listen to Wednesday'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 12:50 p.m. with the UF and Shands Suns Pre-Game Show.

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Southern League Stories from May 14, 2013


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