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August 30, 2008
Biscuits run marathon and get burned
by Suns in 12
By Greg Rauch
MONTGOMERY - It took almost four hours,
but the Jacksonville Suns (33-35; 66-72) finally bested
the Montgomery Biscuits (35-32;69-68), 9-6 in 12 innings
Saturday night at Riverwalk Stadium.
The Biscuits (4) and Suns (5) combined
to make nine errors in the field, producing seven unearned
runs.
Jacksonville's fielding woes came early,
allowing Montgomery to score five runs (one earned) through
the first six frames. Rashad Eldridge dropped down two bunt
singles and scored three of the Biscuits eventual six tallies.
Colter Bean made just the 12th start of
his professional career after appearing 40 straight times
out of the Biscuits bullpen. Bean was excellent once through
the Suns order, but two two-run singles from Russell Mitchell
and Shane Justis evened the score in the fourth inning,
4-4.
The teams battled back and forth, but it
was Montgomery that had a chance to seal the game in the
ninth inning. Roger Deago pitched a perfect eighth frame
and then after recording back-to-back strikeouts to start
the ninth, allowed a single to Ivan De Jesus before giving
way to closer Neal Frontz.
Frontz needed just one out, but gave up
back-to-back singles that scored De Jesus and sent the game
to extra innings.
After scoreless 10th and 11th innings,
the Biscuits defense collapsed in the 12th frame. The first
two batters reached on errors against reliever Brian Henderson,
followed by three consecutive singles along with a third
and final error that gave the Suns a three run lead, 9-6.
With both bullpens emptied, Jacksonville
called on middle infielder, Juan Gonzalez to close the marathon
affair. Gonzalez allowed just one walk, recording his first
career save and the first save by a position player in the
history of the Suns.
The two teams will face off once again
tomorrow in game four of the five game set, scheduled for
6:05. Jeremy Hellickson will cap off his excellent season,
throwing his final start of 2008.
---BISCUITS BASEBALL---
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