Jackson Swept In Sunday Twin-Bill

Montgomery, Ala. - The Jackson Generals dropped both games of a Sunday double-header at Montgomery, falling 4-2 in the opener and 6-5 in the finale. The Generals (24-19) are now tied with Montgomery (24-19) in the Southern League's North Division standings, just half a game behind the division-leading Tennessee Smokies (25-19).
Because of their May 20 game being postponed, the Generals and Biscuits will now play a second consecutive double-header on Monday, beginning at 6:05 pm CT. These are the last two games the two squads need to play head-to-head in the First Half.

Game One: Montgomery 4, Generals 2
A fruitful first inning against Montgomery right-hander Mike Franco (4-0, 2.23 ERA) did not hold up, as the Generals dropped the first game of the twin-bill 4-2 in seven innings. Jackson plated a pair of runs in the first and walked three times, but the offense went quiet thereafter, allowing Montgomery to return fire with a four-run fifth inning.
Down 2-0 in the fifth, Montgomery opened with three consecutive hits, as Braxton Lee and Riley Unroe each recorded run-scoring doubles to tie the game 2-2. Jackson starter Taylor Clarke (4-2, 2.82 ERA) retired the next batter on a groundout, but an RBI single from Kean Wong brought Lee in with the go-ahead run. A walk by Cade Gotta put two men aboard, but Clarke found another out, getting a fly-out to center which allowed Wong to tag-up from second base and advance to third.
With left-handed hitter Nick Ciuffo set to hit next, the Generals opted to bring in left-handed reliever Yuhei Nakaushiro to get the final out of the inning. The Biscuits baited Nakaushiro into trying a pickoff throw to first base, but Wong broke from third base on the throw, stealing home to get the Biscuits their fourth run of the inning.
The Generals put a man on base in the sixth, but a successful pickoff throw from Montgomery's Kyle Bird cleared the threat.
To punctuate his 27th birthday, Generals infielder Kevin Medrano led off the game with a solo home run off Franco. The long-ball was Medrano's first home run since 2015, and the Generals' offense drew a small spark from it. With the help of a Kevin Cron single and two walks, the Generals would load the bases with one out in the inning, as Franco struggled with control. Franco issued his third walk of the inning to Kelly Dugan, bringing home Colin Walsh to give the Generals their second run in the top of the first.
Jackson was held to five hits in the contest, with no player recording more than one. The Generals went 0-for-7 with men in scoring position in the seven-inning loss.
Game Two: Montgomery 6, Generals 5
Sunday's second game began with a difficult first inning for the Generals, but they battled back to even the score by the end of the fifth inning. Josh Taylor weathered a 38-pitch trial in the first inning to throw four more, keeping Montgomery scoreless between the second and the fifth. Small-ball tactics got Montgomery the go-ahead run in the sixth, and the Generals came up short in their rally during an exciting final at-bat.
Trailing 6-4 heading into Jackson's last chance at-bat, Generals infielder Colin Walsh homered off of Montgomery reliever Ian Gibaut (2-0, 1.23 ERA) to right field, pulling Jackson within a run. After a fly-out to right field, Rudy Flores shot a single through the right side of the infield, getting the tying run on base. Victor Reyes drove a fly ball to deep left field for the inning's second out, keeping Flores at first base. Catcher Oscar Hernández got his second hit of the ballgame with a long single to left field, pushing Flores up to third base. Kelly Dugan stepped to the plate and smashed a deep liner to left field, but Montgomery outfielder Joe McCarthy made a leaping grab on the warning track to rob Dugan of the game-tying hit.
Right-hander Joey Krehbiel (1-1, 1.33 ERA) relieved starting southpaw Taylor on the hill in the sixth inning with the game tied 4-4, and Montgomery went about frustrating Jackson's stingiest pitcher. After Krehbiel walked Montgomery's Grant Kay to begin the inning, Kay promptly stole second base. The throw down to second from the catcher Hernandez skipped into center field, allowing Kay to hop up and scramble to third base. 
With the go-ahead run at third, Mac James finished his at-bat with a pop-out to first base, bringing second baseman Riley Unroe to the plate. Unroe executed a squeeze bunt, bringing Kay home with the go-ahead score as Krehbiel's flip to Hernandez at home plate was too late. Unroe would score the insurance run for Montgomery on a single two batters later from shortstop Michael Russell.
After Taylor gave up four runs in the first inning, Jackson clawed steadily back with scores in the third, fourth, and fifth frames. An RBI groundout from Kevin Cron scored Evan Marzilli in the third, and Hernandez led off the fourth inning with a missile over the left field wall, his third home run of the year. After a one-out walk by Walsh in the fifth, Cron delivered his 11th blast of the season, sending the two-run shot 431 feet over the left field wall to tie the game at four apiece.
 
Walsh went 4-for-4 in the finale, scoring twice and driving in a run. Hernandez recorded his second straight game with multiple hits, but the Generals left eight men on base over the seven-inning contest.
For tomorrow's double-header, the Generals have scheduled right-hander Brooks Hall (1-4, 6.08 ERA) to pitch game one, with right-hander Ivan Pineyro (2-0, 2.70 ERA) set to work the series finale. First pitch for the lead game of Monday's double-header at Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 6:05 pm CT on Monday, with the second seven-inning contest slated to begin half an hour after the first one concludes. You can stay up to date on all the action with the team on the road starting with the pregame show at 5:50 pm CT on Willie 94 FM and 1390 AM in Jackson.
 
Jackson stays on the road for eleven games between Montgomery and Jacksonville before returning home May 30 for five versus the Mississippi Braves. The series kicks off with a Thrifty Thursday, and includes both the Hub City Hippos and a Leaders Credit Union Food Truck Friday the next night! Saturday is Star Wars Night with Postgame Fireworks presented by Hardeman County Correctional Facility! In addition to Fireworks, a lucky fan will win a trip to Disney's Hollywood Studios to experience Star Wars in Florida! And the first 1,000 through the gate will take home a jersey T-shirt!
 
Make sure to get your tickets now to see the 20th season of professional baseball in Jackson, and the first for the team as an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks! Call the team at (731) 988.5299, stop by The Ballpark or go online to jacksongeneralsbaseball.com to secure your seats now!