JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Suns (1-1) defeated the Jackson Generals (1-1) 7-0 in a game that featured a one hour and one minute rain delay Friday night from Bragan Field.
Jake Esch (W, 1-0) got the start and the victory for Jacksonville going 5 and 1/3 innings allowing three hits two walks while striking out six in a rain shortened start. Scott DeCecco (L, 0-1) took the loss after going 3 and 2/3 innings surrendering nine hits (one home run) and six runs (five earned) while walking one and striking out a pair in his opening start of 2015.
The scoring began in the bottom of the second after Sharif Othman’s RBI groundout brought home Matt Juengel, who lead off the frame with a base knock, the Suns held a 1-0 advantage through two innings.
Moving to the third Jacksonville’s Austin Nola (HR, 1) mashed a solo homer to left to push the Suns lead to 2-0. With two runners on, in the same inning, Matt Juengel doubled up the Suns lead after a two-run scoring triple made the score 4-0. Carlos Lopez added one more in the frame with a RBI single making the tally 5-0.
In the fourth the Suns continued to tack on to their lead. Isaac Galloway led off the inning with a triple, which was soon followed up by Kenny Wilson’s RBI base knock, giving Jacksonville a 6-0 scoreboard advantage.
After a one hour and one minute rain delay, the Suns scratched across a solo run in the bottom of the sixth courtesy of Nola’s sacrifice fly pushing the home squad’s lead to 7-0.
The Suns bullpen made a cameo with appearances from Blake Logan, Matt Tomshaw, and Sean Donatello who tossed 1 and 2/3, one inning, and one inning of scoreless baseball respectively.
The Suns and Generals will be back at it tomorrow with first pitch at Bragan Field slated for 7:05 p.m. ET. The Suns will send left-hander Chipper Smith to the mound for his first start against Generals southpaw Tyler Pike in his opening appearance.
ALL fans will receive a special poster commemorating Pedro's Last Season as owner of your Jacksonville Suns. The Bloodmobile will also be at the Baseball Grounds and the SUNS encourage ALL fans to donate blood. The first 25 donors receive two tickets to the game, a hotdog and a soda voucher. Plus, it's the Bragan Field debut performance of the loveable SweetRight Brothers! Plus, check out the hottest rides in town from your Southern Ford Dealers and enjoy an Unlimited Butterfly Breaded Shrimp Dinner from 6-8pm in the Sundowner Lounge. Sponsored by Winn-Dixie, The Blood Alliance, Southern Ford Dealers, 99.9 Gator Country
Suns fans can listen Saturday’s game on the Suns baseball Network, 100.3 FM&600 AM WBOB or through www.jaxsuns.com, MiLB.com, or the TuneIn radio app, beginning at 6:50 p.m. ET with the Memorial Hospital Suns Pregame Show.
The 2015 season of Suns baseball is presented by EverBank, the official banking partner of the Jacksonville Suns. Sponsorships, group outings, and season/individual game tickets are currently available by calling the Suns front office at (904) 358-2846.