Suns Fall to Lookouts 4-0
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The Jacksonville Suns (20-23, 50-63) fell to the Chattanooga Lookouts (22-21, 59-55) by a 4-0 score in the third game of the five-game series at AT&T Field on Sunday afternoon.
Lookouts starter Omar Bencomo (4-6) earned the win as he pitched a season-high seven scoreless innings where he only allowed two hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Suns starter Patrick Johnson (6-7) took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
The Lookouts stuck quickly against Johnson in the bottom of the first. The first pitch from Johnson was hit by Zack Granite for a double, then the next pitch to Ryan Walker was hit out of the ballpark to right field, a two-run homer that gave the Lookouts a 2-0 lead. Two innings later, Niko Goodrum hit a two-run homer to right field to grow the Lookouts lead to 4-0, which would be the final score.
Bencomo didn't allow a hit or baserunner until the fifth inning, and the Suns never had a baserunner reach second base in the game. Following his seven innings, relievers Raul Fernandez and Ryan Eades worked the final two innings in scoreless fashion to preserve the second straight win for Chattanooga in the series. Suns reliever Travis Ballew was the only man out of the bullpen for Jacksonville, working three perfect innings from the sixth to the eighth.
Suns shortstop J.T. Riddle saw his 25-game hitting streak come to an end, going 0-for-4 with three groundouts to second base and a strikeout. Riddle hit .370 in his streak, the longest in the Southern League this season and the longest in the Marlins era of Suns history from 2009-present.
The clubs will continue the series with the third game of the five-game set at 7:15 p.m. on Monday night. The Suns have not announced a starter, while the Lookouts will start left-hander David Hurlbut (7-6, 3.62 ERA). Fans can listen to the games on the Suns Baseball Network, beginning at 7 p.m. ET with the pregame show "Suns On Deck" on FM 102.3 The Beach, the TuneIn Radio app, and www.jaxsuns.com.
The Suns return home against Mississippi next week for Maverick's Live Thirsty Thursday, when $1 12-oz. and $2 24-oz. beers are sold adjacent to the new Budweiser Tiki Terrace, under the video board, at the right-field bleachers and behind section 115. The nightly theme celebrates the 20th anniversary of the film Jerry Maguire with "Show Me the Money" Night. The game is presented by 95.1 WAPE and X102.9.
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 packages for the upcoming 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.