Jumbo Shrimp take game one 7-2, suffer 6-0 shutout loss in finale
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and the Durham Bulls split a doubleheader on Thursday, with Jacksonville (6-3) taking the first game, 7-2, before Durham (6-3) responded with a 6-0 shoutout win in game two.
Game 1
The Jumbo Shrimp plated runs in each of the first five innings in game one. The scoring began with Jazz Chisholm Jr. working a walk to begin the ballgame and advancing to second base on an errant pickoff throw. With two outs, Eddy Alvarez singled to right off Adrian De Horta (0-1) to bring home Chisholm and make it 1-0 Jacksonville.
After plating a run on a Chisholm RBI groundout in the second, Lewin Díaz led off the third by blasting a home run to right, his fourth of the year, to put the Jumbo Shrimp in front 3-0.
The Bulls answered with an RBI groundout in the third against Nick Neidert (1-0). However, the Jacksonville right-hander minimized damage throughout his outing, stranding six runners on base in five innings. Neidert yielded six hits, walked two, and struck out five to earn his first victory of the season.
Jacksonville added on with a pair in the fourth, highlighted by an RBI double from Díaz. Then in the fifth, Brian Miller doubled to lead off the inning, and scored on a bunt single from Deven Marrero later in the frame to make it 6-1.
Miller reached base all four times he batted – two walks, a double and a hit by pitch – and stole a career-high four bases in the contest. He plated Jacksonville’s final run in the seventh, when he walked, stole second and third, and advanced home on an errant throw. The four stolen bases by Miller were also the most by one player in a game in the Jumbo Shrimp era (2017-present).
Jake Fishman polished off the final two innings for the Jumbo Shrimp, recording four strikeouts, and retiring six of the seven batters he faced.
Game 2
For the first time all year, Jacksonville was kept off the scoreboard, tallying just four hits and seven base runners. The club never advanced a runner past second base in game two.
Durham got on the board in the second inning on a two-run home run from Joseph Odom off Daniel Castano (0-1). The Bulls then added a run in the third inning on an infield single from Taylor Walls that plated Josh Lowe, who had doubled two batters prior, putting the Bulls ahead, 3-0.
Durham doubled their lead with a pair of home runs in the fifth. Joey Roach hit a solo shot to begin the inning, and later in the frame, Lowe lifted a two-run blast to push the lead to 6-0.
Drew Strotman (2-0) earned the win with five scoreless innings for the Bulls.
The series continues Friday night at 6:35 p.m. when Jacksonville sends righty Josh A. Smith (0-0, 3.60) to the mound. Coverage begins at 6:20 p.m. on ESPN 690, as well as online at espn690.com, MiLB.tv and the MiLB First Pitch app.
ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp offer affordable family fun at 121 Financial Ballpark. Their inaugural season garnered the Southern League’s Don Mincher Organization of the Year, Promotional Trophy and Jimmy Bragan Executive of the Year, won by general manager Harold Craw. The club added its second Promotional Trophy in three years following the 2019 season. The 2021 season marks the return of Triple-A baseball in Jacksonville. To experience the excitement with the terrific value of ticket and group options, call the Jumbo Shrimp at (904) 358-2846 or visit www.jaxshrimp.com.
