Database Software

I have an oracle RAC cluster with two nodes. I'm trying to get a JDBC thin connection to the cluster. But I'm having problem trying to connect to the second node only using the ServiceName.

Current setup RAC serviceName = eric,
Node 1 SID = eric1, Virtual IP = 10.1.2.11
Node 2 SID = eric2, Virtual IP = 10.1.2.12


I can connect to either node using the normal jdbc url.

String url = "jdbc:oracle:thin:@10.1.2.11:1521:eric1";
String url = "jdbc:oracle:thin:@10.1.2.12:1521:eric2";

RAC URL:
jdbc:oracle:thin:@(DESCRIPTION=
(ADDRESS_LIST=
(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=10.1.2.11)(PORT=1521))
(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=10.1.2.12)(PORT=1521)))
(LOAD_BALANCE=ON)(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVICE_NAME=eric)(SERVER=DEDICATED)))

FYI this works fine. When I run the Java program which executes following query "select instance_name from v$instance" I get eric1 which implies that I'm connecting to the first node. So to force the connection to the second node I remove the first ADDRESS.

When I run the Java program I get the following error:
Error Code: 17002
java.sql.SQLException: Io exception: The Network Adapter could not establish the connection

FYI
If I add in (INSTANCE_NAME=eric2) everything works. In otherwards this URL will work:
jdbc:oracle:thin:@(DESCRIPTION=
(ADDRESS_LIST=
(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=10.1.2.12)(PORT=1521)))
(LOAD_BALANCE=ON)(FAILOVER=ON)(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVICE_NAME=eric)(INSTANCE_NAME=eric2)(SERVER=DEDICATED))))

When I run the program w/ this URL I get eric2 which means it connected to the second node.

I want to do server side load balancing so I can't put in the INSTANCE_NAME otherwise it will pin it to a certain node. Am I doing anything wrong? FYI the tnsnames.ora on node1 and node2 are identical.