Pensacola Blue Wahoos Win 6-2 Over Jacksonville Suns

July 16, 2012

Blue Wahoos starter Daniel Corcino earned his fourth straight victory by surrendering just one run on five hits, while shortstop Billy Hamilton hit an inside-the-park home run in the seventh, as Pensacola defeated the Jacksonville Suns 6-2 on Sunday afternoon at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

The win improved the Fish’s record to 15-9 in the second half to keep them to at least a share of the Southern League South Division lead with Montgomery, while the loss dropped Jacksonville to a 10-14 mark since the league’s All-Star Break.

Corcino (6.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO) earned his fourth win in a row and fifth in as many home starts after yielding just a lone earned run on five hits while fanning six in his 6.1 innings of work, while reliever Curtis Partch (1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 SO) notched his sixth hold of the season by firing 1.2 shutout frames in support of Corcino. Suns starter Jose Alvarez (4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 2-5 after allowing four earned runs on six hits in four innings.

With the Blue Wahoos up 4-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, Hamilton led off the frame by lining the first pitch towards right-center field. Suns right fielder Kyle Jensen dove but was unable to make the catch as the Reds’ top prospect flew around the bases without a throw home to complete his third career inside-the-park home run. It was his first since April 19, 2011, when he circled the bases for Low-A Dayton versus Bowling Green.

The Fish got the scoring started early with a three-spot in the second frame. RF Bill Rhinehart began with a double and 3B Miguel Rojas walked, before both came across on C Mark Fleury’s two-run double down the right field line. Fleury would then score on the next pitch when Corcino helped his own cause by lacing a single into center.

The Suns plated their first tally in the subsequent inning to narrow the margin to 3-1. LF Jake Smolinski started the inning with a free pass and took second on a hit by pitch, prior to being sent in on 2B Paul Gran’s single to left.

Pensacola however, would counter right back with a run in the fourth. 1B Beau Mills led off with a double to right, got to third on a single and scored on a double play to move the advantage back up to three.

Following Hamilton’s electric roundtripper in the seventh, Mills left the yard in the eighth with a solo shot to right. It was the sixth longball of the season for Mills and fourth in July. Jacksonville RF Kyle Jensen started the final frame with a big fly to left, his 12thh of the season, but the Suns were kept off the scoreboard after that point.

Mills (2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI) and Rojas (2-3, 1 R, 1 BB), along with LF Andrew Means (2-4) also collected two base knocks in the contests for the Blue Wahoos, while Gran (2-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI) and Jensen (2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI) each tallied multi-hit efforts in the loss.

With the series even at 1-1, Jacksonville and Pensacola will face off again Monday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. RHP J.C. Sulbaran is expected to get the nod for the Fish, while the Suns have not yet announced their starting pitcher.

By Andrew Green

Daniel Corcino earned his fourth straight win in Pensacola’s 6-2 win Sunday. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports, TOP sports