recap08092007

PH: 919.269.2287
FX: 919.269.4910

Jacksonville 3, Carolina 2

Jacksonville, FL --- Juan Gonzalez stroked a two-run single to right field with the bases loaded in the last of the ninth to score the tying and winning runs as Jacksonville rallied past Carolina 3-2 at the Baseball Grounds on Thursday night.

The Suns scored an eighth inning run on a double by James Tomlin to slice the deficit to 2-1, then pushed across a pair against closer Chris Mobley (L, 7-2) to beat the Mudcats for the ninth straight game in Jacksonville.

Carolina took a 2-0 lead against first-time Double-A starter Clayton Kershaw in the fifth when Dante Brinkley and Chase Lambin hit back-to-back homers. Brinkley homered barely over the right field wall on an 0-2 pitch, while Lambin jerked a 3-2 delivery over the left-centerfield wall. Kershaw, who was the sixth pick in last year's draft from high school, was wobbly with his control in the first three innings, throwing more balls (31) than strikes (28), but stranding all six baserunners. Kershaw was pulled from his debut after Grant Psomas chased Tomlin back to deep center for the out just after the two homers.

Jimmy Serrano certainly deserved a better fate than the no-decision he received. Serrano only permitted a second inning double to Cory Dunlap, then proceeded to retire 14 straight batters before issuing a walk. Serrano completed seven innings and left leading 2-0.

The Suns eighth started with Scott Nestor walking the leadoff hitter on four pitches, and was promptly relieved by Mobley. Tomlin tomahawked Mobley's 0-2 pitch up the left field line for a run-scoring double to trim Carolina's lead to 2-1.

After a bunt pushed Tomlin to third as the tying run, Mobley issued a walk, then retired Blake Dewitt on an infield popfly to maintain the lead. Mobley walked another batter to fill the bases before Kevin Howard flew out to Jai Miller in center to end the inning.

After Ramon Troncoso (W, 7-2) worked a perfect ninth, Mobley permitted a single to AJ Ellis to begin the inning. Dunlap then hit a grounder to first baseman Psomas, whose throw caromed off of the side of Ellis' helmet into left field, putting the tying and winning runs aboard. Mobley walked Anthony Raglani to fill the bases, but recorded the first out on a force out at home plate.

Gonzalez won the game on a broken-bat single to right to score Dunlap and Raglani to clinch the comeback win.

Gaby Hernandez (7-9, 3.65) starts the middle game of the series against Joey Norrito (7-2, 3.10) on Friday night at 7:05 PM ET.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Carolina	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	5	0
Jacksonville	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	3	4	1

One out when winning run scored.

Carolina	AVG	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	PO	A
Brinkley, D, LF	.253	5	1	2	0	0	1	1	0	2	0	0
Lambin, 2B	.289	3	1	2	0	0	1	1	1	0	4	3
Psomas, 1B	.243	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	5	0
Mitchell, 3B	.289	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	1	2
Bear, R, RF	.261	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	4	0
Mobley, C, P	.000	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Miller, CF	.266	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	0
Hayes, C	.249	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1
Rundgren, SS	.214	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
Serrano, J, P	.000	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1
Nestor, P	.250	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Raburn, RF	.207	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	.247	33	2	5	0	0	2	2	4	7	25	8
BATTING HR: Brinkley, D (7, 5th inning off Kershaw, 0 on, 0 out), Lambin (13, 5th inning off Kershaw, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Brinkley, D 5; Lambin 5; Bear, R. RBI: Brinkley, D (24), Lambin (49). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Miller 4; Brinkley, D; Mitchell. Team RISP: 0-for-7. Team LOB: 8. BASERUNNING SB: Rundgren (1, 2nd base off Kershaw/Ellis).

Jacksonville	AVG	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	PO	A
Giles, RF	.172	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0
Dewitt, 3B	.290	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	5
Howard, K, 2B	.319	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
Ellis, C	.259	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
2-Rohan, PR	.244	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Dunlap, 1B	.240	4	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	11	0
Raglani, LF	.239	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	0
Tomlin, CF	.277	4	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	3	0
Gonzalez, J, SS	.304	3	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	2	3
Kershaw, P	.000	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Wade, P	.000	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
a-Nicholson, PH	.206	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Orenduff, J, P	.000	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
b-Paul, PH	.287	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
1-McDonald, PR	.200	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Troncoso, P	.000	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	.263	29	3	4	2	0	0	3	5	3	27	11
a-Flied out for Wade in the 6th. b-Walked for Orenduff, J in the 8th. 1-Ran for Paul in the 8th. 2-Ran for Ellis in the 9th.
BATTING 2B: Dunlap (16, Serrano, J), Tomlin (16, Mobley, C). TB: Ellis; Dunlap 2; Tomlin 2; Gonzalez, J. RBI: Tomlin (24), Gonzalez, J 2 (46). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Tomlin; Dunlap; Howard, K 2. S: Gonzalez, J (off Mobley, C). Team RISP: 1-for-8. Team LOB: 7. FIELDING E: Gonzalez, J (8, fielding).

Carolina	ERA	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	BF
Serrano, J	2.91	7.0	1	0	0	1	3	0	23
Nestor	5.00	0.0	0	1	1	1	0	0	1
Mobley, C (BS, 6)(L, 7-2)	4.08	1.1	3	2	2	3	0	0	11
Totals	4.29	8.1	4	3	3	5	3	0	35

Jacksonville	ERA	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	BF
Kershaw	4.15	4.1	3	2	2	4	4	2	21
Wade	1.08	1.2	1	0	0	0	2	0	6
Orenduff, J	4.12	2.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	7
Troncoso (W, 7-2)	3.43	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
Totals	3.82	9.0	5	2	2	4	7	2	37

Nestor pitched to 1 batter in the 8th.

Team ER: off Carolina 3, off Jacksonville 2.
BB: off Serrano, J 1 (Dewitt), Nestor 1 (Raglani), Mobley, C 3 (Paul, Dewitt, Raglani), off Kershaw 4 (Mitchell, Bear, R, Lambin, Psomas).
SO: by Serrano, J 3 (Gonzalez, J, Giles, Dunlap), by Kershaw 4 (Brinkley, D, Miller, Brinkley, D, Bear, R), Wade 2 (Mitchell, Serrano, J), Orenduff, J 1 (Mitchell).
WP: Orenduff, J.
Balk: Serrano, J.
Inherited runners-scored: Mobley, C 1-1.
Umpires: HP: Manuel Gonzalez. 1B: Chris Ward. 2B: . 3B: Doug Levy.
Official Scorer: Jason Eliopoulos.
Weather: 90 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 1 mph, Varies.
T: 2:46.
Att: 7,426.