JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Suns (22-31) picked up their first series victory since early May after a 5-1 win over the Montgomery Biscuits (24-29) Thursday night from Bragan Field.
Trevor Williams (W, 2-6) manufactured his longest start of the year for the Suns lasting seven scoreless frames relinquishing seven hits while not walking a batter and striking out four in the win. Biscuits starter Blake Snell (L, 3-1) worked five innings surrendering four runs (all earned) on seven hits while walking four and striking out six in a losing decision.
The scoring would begin in the top of the third, after Kenny Wilson led off with a single, to then get knocked in by Carlos Lopez (HR, 1) who blasted his first double-A home run. With that hit, Lopez provided the first knock Biscuits’ starter Snell would offer up against a lefty in the Southern League, snapping a 0-for-38 stretch for left-handed batters against the Washington native. Suns now led 2-0 through three frames at Bragan Field.
To start off the last of the fourth Matt Juengel (HR, 8) blasted his second home run in as many days over the left field wall to put Jacksonville up 3-0. Still in the fourth, and after a pair of walks to David Adams and Chadd Krist, Kenny Wilson would rip a RBI double that extended the Suns advantage to 4-0.
In the bottom of the seventh, against Biscuits reliever Colton Reavis, Jacksonville had runners on the corners for Juengel who grounded a run-scoring single into left to create a cushion of 5-0.
To the eighth, with Suns reliever Frankie Reed on the mound, Montgomery got a pair of singles with Cameron Seitzer coming to the plate. Seitzer then arched a fly ball deep into left centerfield gap that was dropped by Juengel for an error, allowing a run to score and trim Jacksonville’s advantage to 5-1.
Frankie Reed saw action in the eighth relinquishing a pair of hits and an unearned run in relief for Jacksonville. Sean Donatello worked a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation for the Suns out of the bullpen.
The Suns and Biscuits will square off in the series finale Friday night from Bragan Field with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. ET. The Suns will send out lefty Chipper Smith (2-1, 4.56 ERA) while the Biscuits will counter with right-hander Ryne Stanek (0-0, 4.05 ERA).