Jacksonville Suns Blank Mobile BayBears 8-0 - AA, Southern League

MOBILE, Ala. - Another rough first inning sets the BayBears back in an 8-0 loss to the Jacksonville Suns at Hank Aaron Stadium.
 
After retiring the first hitter he faced in the opening frame, Matt Torra (4-2) surrendered three consecutive singles to load the bases. Jamie Hoffman followed up with a sacrifice fly, allowing Ivan DeJesus, Jr. to score. Rene Rivera then hit a smash to short which Yunesky Sanchez couldn't come up with, bringing home two more runs to make it 3-0 Suns (18-21).

In the second, Jacksonville went right back to mashing as Greg Jacobs doubled home DeJesus with a two-out double. The next batter, Russell Mitchell, nailed a two-run homer to put the Suns up by a half-dozen.
 
Suns starter Marlon Arias (4-2) was on cruise control from there as he limited the BayBears (18-21) to just five hits in seven innings. Arias didn't walk a batter while fanning five. The only trouble he had was in the fifth when the BayBears had runners on second and third with no outs, but Cyle Hankerd was thrown out at home after a fly out by Orlando Mercado to kill the rally. Jacksonville finished the scoring with a pair of runs in the eighth inning against Vince Bongiovanni.
 
On Wednesday night, the BayBears will try to take the rubber game of their series with the Suns at 7:05 p.m. Adam Howard (3-1, 4.46) takes the ball for the BayBears at Hank Aaron Stadium against righty Jesus Castillo (1-2, 4.00). Call (251) 479-BEAR for tickets or log on to www.mobilebaybears.com.
 
BEAR CLAWS
           With a double in the first inning, Bryan Byrne extended his hitting streak to nine games. It's the longest by a BayBear this season.
        DeJesus left the ballgame after the fourth inning and was replaced in the lineup by Shane Justis.
        The BayBears have now been shutout four times this season with Torra serving as the starting pitcher in the last two.