JAX SPORTS NEWS: Suns storm back for 9-4 road win

The Jacksonville Suns (8-6) shined in the late innings against the Mobile BayBears (9-5), rallying to win 9-4 in front of 2,560 fans at Hank Aaron Stadium on Thursday night.

Down 4-1 going to the top of the seventh inning, the Suns scored eight times in the final three innings to even the series at two games apiece, setting up a rubber match in tomorrow’s finale with a share of the South Division lead on the line. With Thursday’s win, the Suns are now just one game back of Mobile for the division lead in the first half of the season.

With the Suns trailing 4-1 going to the seventh, Jorge Padilla hit his first of two homers on the night to cut the lead to 4-2. An inning later, Ben Lasaster hit a bases-clearing three-RBI double that gave Jacksonville a 5-4 lead.

The Suns scored four insurance runs in the top of the ninth, including the second homer of the night for Padilla to put the score at 9-4.

Peter Andrelczyk (3-1) earned the win for Jacksonville with Mobile reliever Bryan Woodall (1-1) taking the loss.

Suns starter Joey O’Gara pitched five innings, giving up four runs on nine hits with a pair of strikeouts. Mobile starter Patrick Corbin pitched into the eighth inning, giving up four runs on seven hits in a seven-strikeout effort.

Suns leadoff hitter Kevin Mattison went 3-5 at the plate with two runs batted in thanks to a two-RBI triple in the top of the ninth. The Suns had a season high 15 hits in the game, with six Suns having multi-hit games.

The Suns and BayBears will play the fifth and final game of the series on Friday night at Hank Aaron Stadium. Suns southpaw Darin Downs (0-0, 1.50 ERA) will pitch against Mobile’s right-hander Jarrod Parker (0-2, 18.00 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. The Suns are the minor league Class AA affiliate of the Florida Marlins and members and five-time champions of the 10-team Southern League of Professional Baseball.