Jackson, Tenn. - The Jackson Generals, the Double-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks, kept pace with the Mississippi Braves through the first third of the game on Friday and turned on the jets late, taking the series finale 6-4 at The Ballpark at Jackson.
Jackson, Tenn. - The Jackson Generals, the Double-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks, kept pace with the Mississippi Braves through the first third of the game on Friday and turned on the jets late, taking the series finale 6-4 at The Ballpark at Jackson.
The victory for the Generals (57-45) snaps a three-game skid and gives Jackson their 14th win in July, guaranteeing them an above-.500 record this month.
Mississippi (49-54) got on the board first against Bo Takahashi (7-4, 3.83 ERA), as Ryan Casteel drove in Daniel Lockhart on an RBI triple in the top of the first inning for a 1-0 lead. Jackson answered in the bottom half, as a Pavin Smith RBI single plated L.T. Tolbert to equalize things at 1-1. The teams traded massive solo home runs to center field in the second inning, as William Contreras and Jazz Chisholm each dialed long distance to keep the game even at 2-2. The back-and-forth continued in the third inning, as Casteel came through again with a sacrifice fly to score Alejandro Salazar for a 3-2 advantage. Jackson countered with a sacrifice fly by Mark Karaviotis, driving in Jeffrey Baez with the game-tying run at 3-3.
After Takahashi finally managed to record a scoreless frame in the top of the fourth, the Generals offense came through on his behalf. Daulton Varsho launched an opposite-field homer over the fence in left in the bottom of the fourth against Mississippi starter Jasseel De La Cruz (2-6, 4.19 ERA), giving Jackson a lead they would not relinquish. Smith and Drew Ellis would create a pair of runs in the sixth for Jackson with a sacrifice fly and an RBI double, respectively, lifting the Generals to their highest run total in six games. Tolbert, Varsho, and Chisholm all racked multi-hit efforts for the Generals, and Smith drove in a pair of runs.
Mississippi made things interesting against Damien Magnifico (S, 4) in the ninth inning, with the first three men reaching base. Contreras scored on an RBI double by Ray-Patrick Didder to close the margin to 6-4, but the game came to a dramatic end three hitters later. After a Luis Valenzuela single put two men aboard, Magnifico struck out Cristian Pache for the inning's first out, and he induced a sharp flyout to Jamie Westbrook in left field for the inning's second out. On the catch by Westbrook, Didder tagged up from third base and broke for home, but Westbrook sent a bullet to Varsho at the plate to ensure a game-ending double play that delighted the Friday evening crowd. West Tunnell and Justin Donatella each contributed to the win with scoreless innings pitched in relief.
UP AND COMING AT THE BALLPARK:
August 1-5: Generals vs. Mobile BayBears (AA, Los Angeles Angels)
…featuring Disney Night (August 3)!
The Jackson Generals, a West Tennessee franchise since 1998, are the Double-A minor league affiliate of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks. The Generals play at The Ballpark at Jackson, Tennessee's 2017 & 2018 Pro Sports Field of the Year. Purchase your tickets to see the 2018 Southern League champions today by calling 731.988.5299 or visiting JacksonGeneralsBaseball.com!
