Generals split doubleheader with Huntsville on Tuesday night
HUNTSVILLE, ALA. (AUGUST 19, 2014) - The Generals (26-32/57-70) split a double header with the Huntsville Stars (27-31/73-55) on Tuesday, winning game one, 6-2 and dropping the nightcap 2-1 in extras. Jackson took game one behind a two-homer effort by D.J. Peterson (4x7, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI) and game two was won in eight innings by Huntsville on a walk-off single by Hunter Morris. The Generals are now 7-3 in seven inning contests this season and were playing their second doubleheader in the last week.
Jackson began the scoring in game one in the second inning as Dan Paolini (1x2, RBI, BB) came up with a two out single that scored Pat Kivlehan (2x7, R) for the early 1-0 lead.
The Peterson home run parade began in the third inning as Peterson lined a home run over the left field wall. The two-run shot scored Tyler Smith (0x5, R, 2 BB) and extended the Generals lead to 3-0.
Peterson hit his second big fly of the night one inning later, this time with Brock Hebert (1x3, R) on base, and lead ballooned to 5-0 after four innings of the seven inning affair.
Jackson earned its notched its third three-homer game in the past two weeks when Jabari Blash (1x3, R, HR, RBI, BB) went deep in the sixth. Blash was just reinstated off the suspended list and joined the Generals for the first time since April. His solo homer made the score 6-0 and it looked like Jackson was cruising.
The Stars made things interesting as the cavernous Joe Davis Stadium played like a bandbox for the second game in-a-row. Hector Gimenez hit his fifth home run of the season, scoring Hunter Morris and cut the Jackson lead to 6-2.
In the seventh Huntsville again played with the heartstrings of the Jackson faithful as they loaded the bases with one out. However, reliever Trevor Miller (5-8, 3 SV, 3.92) started a double play that ended the game and the Generals escaped with their first win in five days.
Tyler Olson (8-7, 3.78) picked up the win for Jackson in game one as he allowed only two runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings. He also struck out four in another solid start. Miller came out of the pen to pick up his third save in his last four appearances with 1.2 innings in which he gave up just one hit but walked two. Huntsville starter Jed Bradley (5-7) took the loss as he did not make it out of the fourth. He allowed five runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings and both Peterson homers.
For those not fans of an offensive outbursts, game two was your favorite of the night as it took until the fourth inning for anyone to score of even reach base.
No Leon Landry (0x4) changed that as he led off the fourth with a triple. He came in to score two batters later when Peterson singled to left field and the Generals had a 1-0 lead.
The lead did not last long as in the bottom of the inning Hainley Statia came up with a two-out RBI single that pushed across Shawn Zarraga to tie the game at 1-1.
The game remained tied into extra innings, as the second of two seven inning games went into the eighth. After the first two batters reached in the bottom of the inning, Josh Fellhauer sacrificed each of them up 90 feet and Matt Brazis (1-1, 1.95) intentionally walked Zarraga to load the bases. Hunter Morris followed with a single that scored Shea Vucinich with the game winning run, 2-1.
Moises Hernandez (0-7, 5.37) made the spot start out of the bullpen for Jackson and looked much like his brother King Felix at least early on. Hernandez retired the first 11 batters he faced and allowed only one run on three hits in 3.2 innings. He took a no-decision, however, as Brazis lost for the first time as a General. Brazis pitched the final 1.1 innings and allowed the winning run. Greg Holle (3-2, 1.53) picked up the win for Huntsville as he threw 2.0 scoreless innings to close out the game.
The Generals will look to even the series Wednesday against the Stars in game four of the set. Stephen Landazuri (6-4, 3.83) will make the start for Jackson as Huntsville will send Austin Ross (0-2, 3.72) to the mound. The game will begin at 6:30 p.m. and can be heard on 96.5 ESPN, TuneIn Radio and jacksongeneralsbaseball.com.