Jackson, Tenn. - Rudy Flores' 100th career minor league home run helped propel the Jackson Generals past the Montgomery Biscuits 10-4 on Wednesday night.
Jackson, Tenn. - Rudy Flores' 100th career minor league home run helped propel the Jackson Generals past the Montgomery Biscuits 10-4 on Wednesday night.
The victory brought the Generals (18-8) even in their series with Montgomery (10-17), 1-1, heading in to Friday's contest. Jackson is now 12-1 on the year when hitting a home run.
The Southern League-leading Generals' offense whirred to life on Wednesday near the end of the outing for Montgomery starter Zach Lee (3-1, 2.18 ERA). Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Flores led the charge into the lead with a one-out, three-run blast, his fifth of the year, to put the Generals in front. The dinger marked a turning point in the contest, as the Generals would score five more runs through the later innings, while the Biscuits were held to just one further tally. Flores, hitting cleanup behind Juniel Querecuto and Kevin Medrano, combined with the two men ahead of him to go 6-for-13 with six runs scored and eight RBI.
Pitching-wise, the Generals had good-enough work from Alex Young (4-1, 3.66 ERA), who gave up three runs in five innings while striking out four. Behind Young, Mason McCullough allowed a run in the sixth inning to Montgomery, but Gabe Speier and Kirby Bellow pitched the final three frames with more combined strikeouts (four) than baserunners (three).
TOP PERFORMER - Generals
DH Rudy Flores - 2-5, R, 5 RBI, HR
TOP PERFORMER - Montgomery
C Brent Sullivan - 1-2, 2 R, 2 BB
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
TOP 2: With one out, Michael Brosseau drives a ball to the gap in right-center field that is caught by center fielder Jay Gonzalez, but a collision occurs between Gonzalez and right-fielder Jason Morozowski that leaves both worse for wear. Both players finish the half-inning, but Morozowski shifts to center field in the third inning, as Gonzalez is replaced by Ryan Grotjohn in the batting order. Grotjohn plays his second career game in right field, making all the routine plays while finishing the night 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk, two runs scored, and an RBI, but Gonzalez's absence is concerning with the Generals already thinned out by having four regular players on the disabled list.
SCORE: MTG 1, JXN 1
LAST 3 INNINGS: After the Generals lost top left-handed reliever Colin Poche via trade on May 1, an increased burden fell to left-handers Kirby Bellow and Gabe Speier, and neither disappointed in their first post-Poche appearance. The duo combined for three scoreless frames to close Thursday's contest, racking four strikeouts and lowering their combined ERA to 2.84. If the Generals are to continue winning late, close games, they will count on Bellow and Speier to continue to dominate.
SCORE: JXN 10, MTG 4
NEXT GAME:
6:05pm CT Friday (5/3) at The Ballpark at Jackson (Jackson, TN)
LHP Taylor Widener (JXN-0-0, 3.05 ERA) vs. RHP J.D. Martin (MTG---0-4, 5.76 ERA)
THIS GENERALS HOMESTAND:
May 2-6 vs. Montgomery Biscuits, featuring Star Wars Night at The Ballpark (Saturday, May 5)
Dial 731-988-5299 for tickets to see Jackson Generals Baseball!
