Huntsville Stars Shut Out Jacksonville Suns 5-0 - AA, Southern League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com – JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville native Mat Gamel drove home his Southern League-leading 60th run with his Minor League-leading 100th hit, while former Florida Gators All-America Matt LaPorta drove home two runs leading the Huntsville Stars (40-26) to a 5-0 victory over the Jacksonville Suns (30-36) in front of 1,910 on Wednesday at the Baseball Grounds.
 
With the win, the Huntsville Stars improved their lead in the season series against Jacksonville to six games to none, following a five-game series sweep of the Suns near the end of April.

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Suns starter B.J. LaMura pitched perfectly through the Huntsville batting order during the first three innings. The Stars starting hitting the second time around the order, beginning in the fourth inning as Mat Gamel’s RBI single started the scoring at 1-0. Gamel’s hit was the third consecutive hit to start the inning. Angel Salome later hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Alcides Escobar for a 2-0 lead.
 
Huntsville extended the lead with three unearned runs off LaMura in the sixth inning. Following a leadoff fly out, Escobar reached on a throwing error from Suns shortstop Ivan DeJesus, Jr. Mat Gamel then walked before Salome grounded out for the second out of the inning. Matt LaPorta next doubled to the left-centerfield wall to drive home both Gamel and Salome for a 4-0 lead. Cole Gillispie next singled home LaPorta for a 5-0 advantage.
 
Jacksonville’s offense could not master Huntsville starter Steve Hammond, as the southpaw allowed only two hits through six and two-thirds innings with four walks and three strikeouts.
 
The Suns mounted their best scoring threat in the ninth inning against reliever Omar Aguilar by loading the bases with two out before a strikeout ended the game.
 
Hammond (7-3) picked up the victory for Huntsville while LaMura (1-1) fell in the loss for Jacksonville.

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