The Jacksonville Suns (9-14, 46-47) fell 9-2 to the Birmingham Barons (11-13, 51-43) at Regions Park on Sunday evening.
The Suns trailed 4-2 going into the bottom of the eighth before the Barons scored five times in the frame against Sandy Rosario to pull away with the 9-2 victory.
Following an early exit by Barons starter Terry Doyle after three innings, the Birmingham bullpen did not allow any runs to the Suns through the final six innings. Johnnie Lowe (6-3) earned the win after tossing four innings where he allowed no runs, allowed one hit, and faced just one batter over the minimum. Nathan Jones worked the final two innings without giving up a run, picking up his sixth save of the season.
Suns starter Graham Taylor (2-5) took his second straight loss after allowing four runs on six hits in five innings of work. After the Barons took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Jacksonville tied the game in the top of the second with a leadoff homer by Ben Lasater, his eleventh homer of the year and also his fourth this season against the Barons.
Birmingham reclaimed the advantage when Kyle Shelton scored on a double play hit into by Jake Oester to put the score at 2-1. Jacksonville would once again tie the game an inning later, as Kevin Mattison scored Chris Gutierrez on a sacrifice fly to knot the score at two in what turned into Doyle’s last inning on the mound.
The Barons broke the tie in the fourth with a bases-loaded two-RBI double by Jared Price to go up 4-2. Birmingham threatened to increase the lead in the sixth inning when Suns reliever Ramon Benjamin walked the bases loaded as he made his Southern League debut. However after striking out Justin Greene, Tyler Kuhn hit into an inning-ending double play to keep the game at a two-run contest. Darin Downs also worked a scoreless seventh before the Barons scored five times in the eighth to go up 9-2, which would be the final score.
The Suns and Barons will play the final game of the six-game series on Monday night at Regions Park. Left-hander Brad Hand (8-2, 3.89 ERA) will pitch for Jacksonville against Birmingham’s left-hander Justin Edwards (3-3, 4.50 ERA). Monday’s first pitch is set for 8:05 p.m.
