Daily Sport News:SUNS: Hosts rally for two runs in eighth inning for victory
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By J.P. SHADRICK
The Jacksonville Suns (41-37, 6-2) took an eighth inning lead on the Montgomery Biscuits (37-41, 4-4) only error of the game en route to a 6-4 victory, evening the series in front of 4,709 o n a sweltering Monday afternoon at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
Kasey Olenberger (7-1) picked up the win for the Suns in relief, dealing one perfect inning. Mike Wlodarczyk (0-3) was tagged with the loss, allowing the two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Matt Peterson (18) saved the game, extending his league-leading total one night after his second blown save of the season.
The teams traded runs in the first inning. Montgomery took a short-lived lead on a two-out, solo homerun from Fernando Cortez. In the bottom of the first inning Scott Cousins doubled home a run before a Lee Mitchell groundout plated another to give the Suns a 2-1 lead.
Jacksonville extended the lead to 4-1 in the fourth inning when Lorenzo Scott belted at two-run homerun off Montgomery starter Brandon Mann.
Montgomery rallied to tie the game in the fifth inning against Suns starter Graham Taylor, scoring three unearned runs. With one out and runners at first and second base, Suns second baseman Ryan Klosterman misplayed a Cortez groundball for an error. On the play, Klosterman’s throw to first base went wild allowing Desmond Jennings to score for a 4-2 score. Cesar Suarez later drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before a Rashad Eldridge RBI double tied the game 4-4.
In the middle of the eighth inning, home plate umpire Shaun Barbour left the game with assistance after taking too much of the Florida heat. Third base umpire Karl Best finished the game.
The Suns took the lead for good in the eighth inning. With the bases loaded and no outs, Chris de la Cruz flied out to shallow centerfield. Lead runner Cousins was unable to tag up and score, but the runner at second base, Mitchell ran halfway to third base.
After the throw from centerfield went to the plate, Montgomery catcher Matt Spring threw back toward second base wild, allowing Cousins to score on the error for a 5-4 lead. Tim Torres later singled in a run to finish the scoring at 6-4.
Peterson was named the Southern League Hitter of the Week for June 22-28
Petersen was the quintessential leadoff hitter for the Suns last week, reaching base 17 times in six games to help Jacksonville to a 5-2 second-half start. After an 0-for-5 performance on Monday, June 22, Petersen rattled off five consecutive multi-hit games, including two three-hit games. He raised his batting average from .267 to .288 during the week and also drove in six runs and scored five times.
Petersen led the league with a .567 on-base percentage this past week, setting the table for teammates Lee Mitchell and Scott Cousins, who combined for 17 RBI on the week. He also paced the circuit with a .480 average (12-for-25) and 12 hits.
Petersen, a native of Northridge, CA, was a fourth round draft pick in 2007 out of UC-Irvine. He is in his first full season at AA after spending the majority of 2008 between single-A Greensboro and Jupiter. Petersen also posted a .351 average in 12 games in AA last season, hitting safely in nine of them
Suns LH Aaron Thompson will face Biscuits RH Heath Rollins in game three of the series Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. Fans can enjoy Fifty-Cent Family Feast, featuring fifty-cent hot dogs, peanuts and ice cream treats.
