Suns Survive In 8-6 Win Over Wahoos

PENSACOLA, FL - After pouncing on Jon Moscot for four runs over the first two innings, the Jacksonville Suns (6-5, 42-39) were able to weather a furious late rally by the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (4-8, 35-47) and emerge with an 8-6 victory Monday night from Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

Hear manager Andy Barkett's postgame comments here:

Jay Rogers (W, 3-2) earned the win by allowing three runs (both earned) on 11 hits in six innings of work, while striking out a pair of Blue Wahoos and not walking a single batter.

Jheyson Manzueta allowed three runs (all earned) on three hits in his one-plus inning of work, finishing with a strikeout while not walking any Wahoos.

Greg Nappo (H, 5) held Pensacola off the board in his 1.2 innings of work, allowing a pair of hits in addition to a walk and a strikeout in his Monday night outing.

Nick Wittgren (SV, 9) earned the save by getting the final out, striking out the only man he faced in Monday's Suns win.

Jon Moscot (L, 4-7) took the loss for Pensacola after he allowed four runs (all earned) on seven hits in his four innings on Monday night, finishing with three walks and three strikeouts in a losing effort.

J.T. Realmuto (HR, 6) got the scoring going on Monday with a two-out solo blast to left to give the Suns an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

The Suns continued to hit Wahoos starter Jon Moscot hard in the top of the second inning, scoring three times in total to push their lead to 4-0. The Suns received back-to-back RBI doubles from Ryan Rieger and Terrence Dayleg, and got their final run of the inning when Terrence Dayleg scored on Brodie Greene's fielding error off on a ball hit by Austin Nola.

Pensacola broke through with a run in the bottom of the second after starting pitcher Jon Moscot helped his own cause with a two-out RBI single to make it a 4-1 Suns lead after two innings of play.

Yorman Rodriguez (HR, 5) led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a mammoth home run to left field to make it a two-run deficit, with the Suns still leading 4-2.

The Suns countered with a four-run top of the sixth to push their lead to 8-2 over the Blue Wahoos. Jacksonville scored individual runs on an Austin Barnes RBI double, a J.T. Realmuto sacrifice fly, a fielding error by shortstop Brodie Greene on a ball hit by Joe Benson and a RBI single from Alfredo Silverio to open up a six-run advantage.

Ryan Wright helped Pensacola get a run back in the bottom of the sixth inning, with his RBI double making it an 8-3 Suns lead after six innings of play.

The Wahoos continued their late rally by scoring three times in the eighth. Pensacola received RBI doubles from Ross Perez, Marquez Smith and Ryan Wright to cut Jacksonville's lead to 8-6 after eight innings.

The Suns and Blue Wahoos will be back at it on Tuesday night with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. CT (7:30 p.m. ET). The Suns will send out right-hander Matt Montgomery (2-2, 4.81) while the Blue Wahoos will counter with a righty of their own in Michael Lorenzen (4-4, 2.63).

Suns fans can listen to Tuesday's game on the Suns Baseball Network, 94.1 WSOS-FM or through www.jaxsuns.com, MiLB.com or the Suns iPhone or Android app, beginning at 7:15 p.m. ET with the Memorial Hospital Suns Pregame Show.

The 2014 season of Suns baseball is presented by EverBank, the official banking partner of the Jacksonville Suns. Sponsorships, group outings, and season / individual game tickets are currently available by calling the Suns front office at (904) 358-2846.

Below are two highlights from Monday's ballgame: