Suns Take Finale Over Wahoos

July 21, 2014

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (10-20, 41-59) dropped the series finale, 5-2, to the Jacksonville Suns (18-11, 54-45) at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville on Sunday afternoon. With the loss, the Wahoos fell to 1-7 over their last eight games.

The Wahoos jumped out to an early lead when starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen singled home his battery mate Ross Perez in the second inning. The Wahoos put together little more offensively, despite receiving three hit days from both Perez and center fielder Yorman Rodriguez.

In his first start since July 1, Lorenzen was able to work through the first three innings of the game unscathed, but the Suns put three runs on the board to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Catcher Austin Barnes homered for the second straight day to open up the inning and tie the score at one. Following the solo home run, Joe Benson doubled down the third base line and later scored on Brady Shoemaker’s double into left field. That gave the Suns a lead they would never relinquish. Shoemaker later came home to score on a Wilfredo Gimenez groundout.

The Suns tacked on another run in the fifth thanks to Barnes’ second homer of the game and they put the game away in the bottom of the eighth when Alfredo Lopez scored Alex Burg on an RBI single to right field. The Wahoos fought back in the top of the ninth with Ryan Wright scoring on an error, but Perez left a man in scoring position when he grounded out to end the game.

Lorenzen took the loss for the Wahoos, allowing 4 R/ER on eight hits while striking out two batters. RHP Drew Hayes pitched well in relief of Lorenzen, allowing just one hit over 2.1 innings of work.

RHP Jose Urena earned the win for the Suns; he allowed 1 R/ER over 5.2 innings of work. Urena struck out five, walked three and gave up seven hits. RHP Matt Ramsey earned the save for the Suns.

Pensacola returns to Bayfront Park for a five-game set with the Mobile BayBears on Monday. The Wahoos will send Gulf Breeze native Ben Lively (0-3, 4.38) to the mound for game one of the series. RHP Bradin Hagens (8-4, 3.95) is set to start for the BayBears.

by Joey Truncale

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