Pensacola pushes past Generals in extras, 5-2

Jackson, Tenn. - The Jackson Generals, the Double-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks, found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-2 score after extra innings on Thursday, dropping the first game of their series with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

The loss at The Ballpark at Jackson drops the Generals (11-8) back into a tie for first place in the North Division, with the Blue Wahoos (15-6) improving their league-best record.
Offensively, the Generals struggled against Pensacola's league-leading pitching staff, helmed by right-hander Sean Poppen. Poppen dealt five innings against Jackson with seven strikeouts and a single walk, allowing one run and five hits on 78 pitches. Jamie Westbrook's bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the fifth finally got the Generals on the board, and a two-out, opposite-field RBI single in the seventh from Westbrook scored Andy Young to tie the game at 2-2. Jackson did not score again, though they had a pair of chances.
In the eighth, the Generals managed to load the bases with one out. After a Jeffrey Baez leadoff double, Jazz Chisholm struck out, but Ramon Hernandez was hit by the pitch and Drew Ellis walked to bring Ben DeLuzio to the plate. The Jackson center fielder flew out to shallow center field, and on the ensuing tag-up play, Baez was thrown out at the plate while attempting to score. Jackson also put men on first and third with none out in the tenth, but three consecutive strikeouts by Pensacola's Ryan Mason (S, 4) settled the issue for the night. The Generals finished 2-for-13 with men in scoring position and left a dozen men on base, tying a season high.
Riley Smith threw five innings without allowing a run, but his scoreless start was ruled irrelevant an inning later. Pensacola scored a pair of runs against Tyler Mark (BS, 1), who got one out after allowing a two-run double by Taylor Grzelakowski to give Pensacola the lead at 2-1 in the sixth. Lucas Luetge and Damien Magnifico would steady the ship for the next 2.2 innings without allowing a hit, blazing a path for Kevin Ginkel (0-1, 1.93 ERA) to enter in the ninth. Ginkel struck out three batters in the ninth, though the inning lasted longer than expected after his strikeout pitch against Brian Navarreto kicked away from catcher Daulton Varsho.
Ginkel worked through rain showers that drifted into the area late in the game, tossing more than 40 pitches for just the second time in the last two seasons. A walk and another errant delivery in the 10^th inning allowed Pensacola to score an unearned run, after which Ginkel let up a two-run opposite field homer to Pensacola's Jaylin Davis. The earned runs were the first allowed by Ginkel since July 31, 2018, snapping a scoreless streak of 28.0 innings that included the 2018 playoffs.
 
NEXT GENERALS GAME:
6:05 pm CT Friday (4/26) vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Minnesota Twins)
The Ballpark at Jackson - Jackson, Tenn.
RHP Bo Takahashi (2-1, 4.50 ERA) vs. RHP Jorge Alcala (4-0, 3.92 ERA)
Broadcast Link: Jackson Generals Baseball Network
UP AND COMING AT THE BALLPARK:
April 25-29 vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos (AA, Minnesota Twins)
…featuring Hero Night (April 27), with 1,000 T-shirts given away!
The Jackson Generals, a West Tennessee franchise since 1998, are the Double-A minor league affiliate of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks. The Generals play at The Ballpark at Jackson, Tennessee's 2017 & 2018 Pro Sports Field of the Year. Purchase your tickets to see the defending Southern League champions today by calling 731.988.5299 or visiting JacksonGeneralsBaseball.com!