Sanchez tosses a gem as Generals take finale in Huntsville

HUNTSVILLE, ALA. (AUGUST 21, 2014) - The Generals (27-33/58-71) salvaged a much needed 3-2 victory over the Huntsville Stars (28-32/74-56) Thursday in the clubs final regular season game at Joe Davis Stadium. Victor Sanchez (7-5, 3.78) did not earn his second complete game of the season, but he was close as he logged 7.2 innings and earned his seventh win of the season. He retired 15 batters in a row at one point and the 19-year-old picked up his second August win.

With the win, Jackson takes the overall season series over the Stars, 13-12 and remain six games back of the Tennessee Smokies in the North standings with 10 games remaining. One night after picking up 14 hits and losing, the Jackson offense notched the win with only five timely hits and used two costly Stars' errors.

Back-to-back two-out doubles in the second inning brought home the first run of the game as Kevin Rivers (1x4, R, 2B) crossed the plate on Carlton Tanabe's (1x4, 2B, RBI) two-bagger and the Generals led 1-0 in the second.

The score remained the same until the sixth inning when Jackson increased their lead, again with two outs. Jabari Blash (0x2, R, BB) reached on an error that scored Dan Paolini (1x3, R, BB) and Jordy Lara (2x4, RBI) followed with a double that scored Blash for the 3-0 lead.

Huntsville did not go down without a fight as another pesky lead-off walk led to a run. Josh Fellhauer earned that walk ending a 15 in-a-row retired streak by Sanchez and then with one out the Generals thought they had a double play, but Hainley Statia beat out the back end and as a result was Fellhauer scored the first Stars run and cut the lead to 3-1.

In the eighth inning Yadiel Rivera came to bat and lined a two-out double into right field and that was it for Sanchez as Trevor Miller (5-8, 4 SV, 3.87) came in to relieve him. The first pitch Miller threw to Josh Prince was a single that score Rivera and cut the Jackson lead to 3-2.

That was as close as Huntsville came, however, as Miller retired all three batters he faced in the ninth and the starter turned reliever earned his fourth save of the season.

Huntsville starter Brent Suter (10-9, 4.09) allowed two runs on four hits in 5.2 innings and took the loss as Sanchez had his longest outing since an 8.0 inning start on July 12.

The Generals will travel home to begin their final home series of the 2014 season with the Chattanooga Lookouts on Friday. Lefty Tyler Pike (3-3, 7.65) will make the start for Jackson as Chattanooga will send Andres Santiago (4-8, 5.02) to the mound. Friday is Jackson's Childhood Cancer Awareness night with the Vs. Cancer Foundation and Ellies's Hats. It is also Free Cash Friday and Flat Screen Friday. The game will begin at 7:00 p.m. and can be heard on TuneIn Radio and jacksongeneralsbaseball.com.