Paolini homers twice as Jackson evens series with Wahoos
PENSACOLA, FLA. (AUGUST 9, 2014) - The Generals (22-26, 53-64) evened the series with Pensacola (19-30/50-69) Saturday after a 7-5 victory on Saturday in front of of a sellout crowd of 5,038 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. The deciding two runs came from Dan Paolini (4x5, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI) as he led the Jackson offense with a career high four hits and a pair of solo home runs to increase his team lead in that category to 11.
Jackson began the offense in the first inning once again, as Leon Landry (1x5, R, HR, RBI) took the fourth pitch of the game over the right field wall to give his team the early 1-0 lead. The inning continued with singles by Ketel Marte (1x5, R) and Pat Kivlehan (3x5, R, 2B). After a fly out by D.J. Peterson (1x2, R, 3 BB), Jordy Lara (2x5, 2B, RBI) doubled which scored Marte and Jackson led 2-0 after the first half inning.
Pensacola came right back in the second as Kyle Waldrop tripled home Travis Mattair then Seth Mejias-Brean hit a sacrifice fly to score Mattair. Juan Duran followed with his 16th home run to give the Blue Wahoos a 3-2 lead after two innings.
The see-saw battle continued in the third as the Generals re-took the lead. With one out and runners on second and third, Dario Pizzano (1x4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) hit a ground rule double to score Peterson and Kivlehan. Paolini followed with a base hit that brought home Pizzano and the two-run lead was back in Jackson's hand, 5-3.
In the bottom of the fourth, Yorman Rodriguez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Mejias-Brean and Duran crossed the plate when Bryson Smith followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game 5-5 after four.
Jackson quickly re-took the lead once again as Paolini led off the fifth his with his team-leading 10th home run of the season and the Generals led 6-5.
Two innings later Jackson increased its lead once again, and it was Paolini who went deep. The solo shot was his second of the game, increasing his team lead to 11 homers and the Generals lead in the game to 7-5. It was Paolini's third career two-homer contest.
It was a tough night for each starter, as neither factored into the decision. Victor Sanchez (6-4, 3.93) started for the Generals and allowed five runs on five hits in just 3.2 innings. His shortest outing since May 12th. He faired a little better than his counterpart Robert Stephenson, Cincinnati's top overall prospect, who lasted just 2.1 innings and allowed five runs on nine hits.
Kyle Hunter (3-3, 3.92) came out of the bullpen in the fourth and earned the win with 2.1 shutout innings in which he allowed just one hit. Trevor Miller (4-7, 4.17) was effective in 2.0 shutout innings to earn his first Double-A hold, and Mayckol Guaipe (1-2, 10 SV, 2.25) struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth to earn his tenth save of the season.
The Generals will look to win their fifth series in their last seven Sunday in Pensacola in the rubber match of the series. Lefty Tyler Pike (3-2, 6.29) will take the mound for Jackson as Pensacola will have Michael Lorenzen (4-5, 2.56) on the bump to make the start. The game will begin at 4:00 p.m. and can be heard on 96.5 ESPN, TuneIn Radio and jacksongeneralsbaseball.com.