Generals squander early lead and drop opener in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. (MAY 21, 2014) - The Generals (18-27) fell 6-2 to the Jacksonville Suns (22-23) in the first of the five game series at Bragan Field Wednesday. Jackson received another two hit performance from Leon Landry (2x4, RBI), a three-hit night from Ketel Marte (3x5, 2 K) who broke out of his mini slump, and a home run from Dan Paolini (1x4, R, RBI, BB, HR). But it was not enough to stop the Suns in Jacksonville.

The Generals started the scoring in the second inning. With two outs, Nate Melendres (1x4, R) doubled to center field. After a Mike Dowd (1x4, K) single to move Melendres up to third, Leon Landry (2x4, RBI) had a single to score Melendres and made the score 1-0 Jackson. In Landry's last four games he is 10-for-15 and all four games he has recorded multiple hits. He has upped his average from .155 to .220 during this span.

Alex Burg got tha  run right back in the bottom half for the Suns. He homered to left field and tied the score 1-1 after two innings.

The score remained tied until the fifth. Paolini led off the inning for the Generals with a home run to left field. It was Paolini's third homer of the year and it gave Jackson a 2-1 lead.

Jackson starter Tyler Olson (1-2, 5.57) pitched well for the first five innings, but ran into some trouble in the sixth. He loaded the bases on three straight singles. Olson was then replaced by reliever Stephen Shackleford, who promptly gave up a sacrifice fly Alfredo Silverio that tied the game 2-2.

Then Joe Benson followed with a single to score J.T. Realmuto. Two batters later Brent Keys plated two with a single and the lead ballooned to 5-2 Suns.

A wild pitch from Shackleford in the seventh scored Realmuto for the second time in the game and the score was 6-2 Jacksonville.

Olson received the loss after five innings of work. He gave up four runs on six hits and struck out six Suns, but lost for the second time this season. Jose Urena (5-2, 4.56) picked up his fifth win of the year, going seven innings and scattering ten hits.

The Generals and Suns will play the second game of this five game set Thursday in Jacksonville, Fla. Matt Anderson (0-2, 18.41) will try for his first win of the season for the Generals and the Suns will send Chipper Smith (0-0, 3.18) to the mound. The game is scheduled to start at 6:05 pm and can be heard on 96.5 ESPN, TuneIn Radio and jacksongeneralsbaseball.com.