Jacksonville Suns Deliver Knockout Blow, Sweep Birmingham Barons

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—The Birmingham Barons received an extra day in Jacksonville after taking the field Saturday night.  But it wasn't due to a series comeback.

Having already dug themselves into a hole in the Southern League South Division playoffs, down 0-2 in a best-of-five series, Mother Nature delayed the Barons' fate with torrential downpours before the first inning could be completed Saturday.  When play resumed Sunday, the Jacksonville Suns piled on runs early and disposed of the Barons 12-2 for a series sweep and a divisional crown.  Birmingham has now fallen victim to an opening round sweep in its last three playoff appearances, including 2005 to Jacksonville, and last year to Mississippi.

Barons second baseman C.J. Retherford powered a solo home run off Suns right-hander Brad Stone in the top of the first inning Saturday to give Birmingham a 1-0 lead and a glimmer of hope.  Stone, who had given up just three long balls during the regular season, then retired the next two batters in what would be his only inning of work.

One out into a miscue-laden bottom half of the inning, which featured back-to-back wild pitches by Barons starter Matt Long, umpire crew chief Craig Barron suspended play with the bases loaded.  Birmingham manager Ever Magallanes and pitching coach J.R. Perdew each gave Barron an earful about the delayed timing of the call for the tarp, resulting in Perdew's ejection.

Long, who went 4-0 in August with a 1.76 ERA, admitted having difficulty gripping the ball in order to execute his pitches.

While the game was delayed, it wasn't officially called and postponed for nearly two and a half hours.  When the teams took the field in drier conditions Sunday, rain couldn't mask the mismatch.

The Barons (92-47, regular season) opted to hand the ball to Justin Cassel to complete the first inning Sunday.  Although he recorded both remaining outs by strikeout, Cassel gave up a two-RBI single to Suns second baseman Kevin Randel—both runs being charged to Long.  Randel led Jacksonville at the plate, going three-for-five with a pair of doubles and four RBI.  The 28 year old was a thorn in Birmingham's side throughout the series (6-for-13, six RBI).

The damage may have been minimized in the first, but Cassel capsized in the second, scattering four consecutive doubles in a five-run inning.  Magallanes turned to Cassel even though the right-hander had allowed six runs in six innings in his last appearance at The Baseball Grounds at Jacksonville on July 28.

Jarrett Santos replaced Stone and turned in one of his best performances in a Suns uniform.  Southern League hitters faced him with ease during the second half of the regular season, hitting .359 against the righty.  But his composure and command was on display Sunday, as Stone gave up just three hits and fanned three over four shutout innings to get the win.

Birmingham was given few opportunities to chip away at Jacksonville's lead, but they went 0-for-6 as a team with runners in scoring position.  And compared to the Suns' eight extra-base hits, the Barons produced just one—Retherford's first-inning blast.

The visiting team simply couldn't produce an answer to Jacksonville's offensive attack, proving the old adage that great pitching beats great hitting.  In 2009, the Barons led the Southern League in almost every offensive category, a near-total reversal from last year's meager production at the plate.

But they met their match in the Suns pitching staff, a group that led the Southern League in ERA and surrendered the fewest hits and runs as a team.  The heavy hitters in Birmingham's lineup were rendered ineffective Sunday, and throughout the series, as the team hit a paltry .200 (20-for-100) in three games.

Third baseman Dayan Viciedo, who signed a four-year, $11 million contract with the White Sox last November, contributed only three hits in the series and failed to drive in a run.  The 20-year-old Cuban, who hit .280 with 12 homers and 78 RBIs this season, struck out swinging twice on Sunday and four times for the series.

Magallanes kept leadoff hitter Jordan Danks atop the lineup Thursday through Sunday despite the center fielder's marked decline in production of late.  Danks went 0-for-12 with four strikeouts in the series, following an August and September when he combined to hit .157 (14-for-89) with only three extra-base hits and just one stolen base.

As the Barons disband until spring training, the Suns advance to the Southern League Championship Series to face the Tennessee Smokies. Tennessee (82-58, regular season), led by first-year Double-A manager and Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg, claimed the North Division series in four games against Huntsville.  Game One is set for Tuesday night at Jacksonville.