Hester leads Mobile to series clinching win

Hester leads Mobile to series clinching win

By J.P. SHADRICK 

Mobile catcher John Hester, who entered Tuesday batting .321 against Jacksonville, went three-for-four with a homerun and four RBI leading the Mobile BayBears (50-64, 21-23) to a 6-3 Tuesday victory over the Jacksonville Suns (50-65, 17-28) in front of 2,231 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

Kelley Gulledge

Mobile clinched the series three games to two, while the teams finished the season series with twelve wins each.

BayBears starter Cesar Valdez (2-2) allowed three runs and seven hits over six innings for the victory. Suns starter Cody White (3-6) allowed six runs, four earned, and seven hits in the loss.

For the third time in the series, Mobile scored in the top of the first inning against a Jacksonville starter. John Hester doubled inside of the third base bag, to plate three runs as Mobile took an early 3-0 advantage.

Just as had happened each time Mobile had scored in the top of the first, the Suns countered with scoring in the bottom half as Kelley Gulledge doubled to left-centerfield to plate two runs for a 3-2 score.

Hester led off the fourth inning with his seventh homerun of the season, his fourth against Jacksonville, for a 4-2 lead. Jacksonville answered in the bottom of the fourth on an Adam Godwin single to score Adolfo Gonzalez to cut the Mobile lead to 4-3.

Mobile ended the scoring in the sixth inning as a Yunesky Sanchez infield single scored Hester. Suns shortstop Ivan DeJesus, Jr.'s throwing error on the play allowed Brandon Burgess to score for a 6-3 Mobile advantage.

The Suns travel to Pearl, Mississippi for an 8:05 p.m. ET first pitch on Wednesday against the first place Mississippi Braves. Live radio coverage is available on WFXJ-AM 930 or online at www.jaxsuns.com.