Landazuri, Generals roll past Stars again on Wednesday, 8-3
JACKSON, TENN. (JULY 23, 2014) - The Generals (14-18, 45-56) used a second-straight seven inning pitching performance from Stephen Landazuri (5-2, 3.28) paired with late inning offensive fireworks to beat the Huntsville Stars (16-17, 62-41) 8-3 Wednesday night. The win is the second straight for the Generals and gives the club a 2-1 series edge. The season-series is even at 9-9.
Jackson used a three-hit performance from Dario Pizzano (3x4, R) and two-hit nights from D.J. Peterson (2x4, R, 2 RBI), Julio Morban (2x4, R, RBI) and Pat Kivlehan (2x4, 2 R, RBI). Peterson added his first home long ball of the season that cleared the Generals club house beyond the left field wall.
Jackson dented the scoreboard in the first inning for the third straight night and fourth time in their last six games. Ketel Marte (0x4, R, BB) walked and moved to third on a single by Pizzano and an error by the Stars left fielder Kentrail Davis. With one out Morban hit a sacrifice fly that scored Marte and it was quickly 1-0 Generals after an inning.
Huntsville knotted the game at 1-1 as Yadiel Rivera walked with two outs in the third inning and scored on a Hainley Statia base hit.
The Stars took the lead in the sixth as Nick Shaw collected a lead-off walk and came around to score on a double from Hector Gimenez.
Jackson's offense was not done yet, however as Pizzano led off the bottom of the sixth with his third base hit of the night. Peterson followed with his first home run at the Ballpark in Jackson, a two-run moon shot that gave his club a 3-2 lead. An out later, Kivlehan doubled and Dan Paolini (1x3, RBI, BB) followed with his 16th double of the year that brought home Kivlehan and extended the lead to 4-2.
Huntsville made Jackson a bit nervous in the eighth inning as Statia hit his fourth home run of the year to shrink the lead to one at 4-3.
But the Generals offense came right back as Kivlehan hit his second triple in as many nights to bring home Morban to restore the two-run lead. After Kivlehan scored on a force play, Steve Baron (1x4, R, RBI) tripled and Kevin Rivers crossed the plate, then Brock Hebert (1x4, RBI) earned his third Jackson RBI with a base hit to bring Baron and the lead had ballooned to 8-3 heading to the ninth.
Mayckol Guaipe (1-2, 2.28) came out of the pen to finish the game for starter Landazuri as he struck out the side in the ninth. Landazuri was good again, as he allowed just two runs on five hits in 7.0 innings and struck out eight. Landazuri logged his second straight seven inning for the first time in his career. Tommy Toledo (4-2, 5.54) took the loss for Huntsville as he allowed three runs on four hits in just 0.1 innings.
The Generals will look for their third straight win and to take the series from the Stars on Thursday at the Ballpark in Jackson. Victor Sanchez (5-4, 3.62) will make the start for Jackson as Huntsville will send Jed Bradley (3-4, 4.34) to the mound. The game will begin at 7:05 p.m. and can be heard on 96.5 ESPN, TuneIn Radio and jacksongeneralsbaseball.com.