JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Suns held on to beat the Mobile BayBears 6-5 today to advance to the Southern League playoffs.
The Suns ended the regular season on a 10 game winning streak. Suns Manager Andy Barkett says he saw a change in the team in the last month.
"We talked about how important it was for guy's in our room getting jobs next year," Barkett said. "We needed to finish strong and concentrate in this last run and execute. They took it and ran with it."
The Suns tied the game in the first on J.T. Realmuto's rbi triple. Brady Shoemaker would bring Realmuto home to give the Suns a 2-1 lead after the first.
"This is what it's all about, this what you play the game for," Realmuto said. "The last 15 games we've played unbelievable baseball. This is a special feeling with a special group of guys."
Shoemaker would strike again in the fifth. With the score tied at 2, Shoemaker drilled a three-run home run to left field to give the Suns a 5-2 lead after five innings.
Mobile cut the lead to 5-3 in the sixth before Suns first baseman Viosergy Rosa pushed the lead back to three in the seventh with his second home run of the year.
The Suns entered the ninth up 6-3. Mobile would push across two runs and the have the go ahead run on second base with two outs. Suns closer Nick Wittgreen got the BayBears Dustin Martin to ground out to second to end the game.
The Suns are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
The Suns and BayBears begin their best-of-five playoff series Thursday in Mobile. Game two will also be in Mobile before the series heads back to Jacksonville. Game three will be at the Baseball Grounds Saturday at 7:05 pm. If necessary, games four and five will be Sunday and Monday at the Baseball Grounds. Both games would begin at 7:05 pm.
Playoff Tickets will go on sale Tuesday, September 2nd at 11:00 A.M. at the Suns Box Office and you can purchase them in person, online at www.jaxsuns.com or by calling 904-358-2846. Playoff tickets will be sold at premium game pricing with Home Plate Box tickets $16.50, Reserved tickets will be $12.50 and General Admission is $10.50. As A special promotion for the First Round of the Playoffs all Kids 12 and under will get in free.