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Blue Wahoos take early lead in 5-2 win over Suns

Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry threw ceremonial pitch; first 1,000 fans received Henry bobbleheads
July 16, 2016

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - In a game preceded by Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry throwing a ceremonial pitch on the night of his bobblehead giveaway, Pensacola Blue Wahoos second baseman Brandon Dixon homered twice to help his team to a 5-2 win over the Jacksonville Suns in front of 5,676 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville Saturday night.

The Blue Wahoos (11-11 second half, 52-40 overall) built a 5-0 lead in the first three innings against Suns left-hander Matt Tracy (1-1). With two outs in the first inning, Pensacola third baseman Taylor Sparks hit a solo home run to left field, first baseman Sebastian Elizalde hit a single to right field, and Dixon hit his first home run to right field for a 3-0 lead.

In the second inning, Pensacola first baseman Ray Chang hit a leadoff single, went to second base on catcher Joe Hudson's groundout, and scored on pitcher Rookie Davis' RBI single to center field. In the third inning, Dixon added a two-out solo home run to left field to make it 5-0. After that point, Jacksonville pitchers set down 19 of the final 20 batters they faced. Right-hander Austin Brice went two perfect innings after Tracy, and right-hander Tyler Bremer had a perfect ninth inning.

While Tracy went six innings, allowing seven hits and no walks with two strikeouts, Davis (7-3) began his start with six strikeouts among the first seven batters. He struck out nine in six innings while allowing four hits and one walk.

The Suns (11-11, 41-51) scored their runs against Davis in the fifth inning, as first baseman Francisco Arcia doubled down the left-field line, and catcher Cam Maron hit his first home run as a Sun down the right-field line to cut the deficit to 5-2. After Davis, Blue Wahoos right-handers Caleb Cotham, Carlos Gonzalez and Alejandro Chacin each pitched a scoreless inning. Chacin yielded consecutive two-out singles in the ninth inning before striking out Maron for his 17th save.

UP NEXT: The Suns continue their series with Pensacola in a doubleheader of seven-inning games at 1:05 p.m. Sunday, when Suns right-hander Patrick Johnson (4-5) is scheduled to face Blue Wahoos right-hander Jackson Stephens (6-7) in Game 1, followed by Suns left-hander Matt Tomshaw (2-1) and Blue Wahoos right-hander Sal Romano (2-10) in Game 2. Gates open at noon for Baptist Health Sunday Family FUNday, also presented by Channel 4 The Local Station, with catch on the field before the doubleheader, plus face painting and a crafts table on the concourse. Following the doubleheader, kids 12 and under can run the bases. Themed in-game contests will decide Who's The Real Snowman? Frosty vs. Olaf, and it's Teacher Appreciation Day.

ABOUT THE SUNS: The Jacksonville Suns are beginning a new era of affordable family fun under new ownership in 2016. With a FUNdamentally Different promotional schedule and a new lineup of ticket and group options for this season, there is a reason for everyone to get part of the action by calling the Suns at (904) 358-2846 or visiting www.jaxsuns.com.