Twine scores winning run on wild pitch in 12th inning for 4-3 win
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jumbo Shrimp and Durham Bulls were tied at 3-3 in the sixth inning, and the contest remained that way until the 12th, when Justin Twine scampered home to score the winning run on a wild pitch on Friday, giving Jacksonville their second consecutive walk-off win at 121 Financial Ballpark.
Jacksonville (60-46) has now won nine games this season in walk-off fashion, and they climb back to within 7.5 games of Durham (67-38) in first place.
Twine led off the 12th as the inherited runner at second base. He advanced to third on a passed ball with Bryson Brigman batting to lead off the inning. Brigman would ultimately draw a walk, and with runners at the corners, Ryan Sherriff (loss, 4-3) missed wide on a fastball that went all the way to the backstop, allowing Twine to dive in headfirst into home to score the winning run.
Durham struck first in the ballgame against Daniel Castano in the second inning on a solo home run from Tristan Gray, his second in as many days, to make it 1-0.
Castano recorded his second consecutive quality start, giving up three runs on five hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Jacksonville tied the score in the bottom half of the frame. Eddy Alvarez reached on an error to lead off the inning. With two outs, Joe Dunand drew a walk before Corey Bird came through with an RBI single to tie the game at one.
Durham went back ahead in the third inning. With two outs, Nathan Lukes was hit by a pitch and Josh Lowe drew a walk. Mike Brosseau followed with a single to right-center to make it 2-1 Bulls.
Jacksonville drew even against Shane Baz in the fifth. Dunand led off the inning with a single to center, and with two outs, Brigman and Nick Fortes tallied back-to-back singles to drive him home.
Rene Pinto blasted a solo homer leading off the sixth inning to put the Bulls briefly back ahead. However, in the bottom half of the inning, Jacksonville loaded the bases, and Dunand bounced an RBI groundout to third base to score Alvarez, who had singled to lead off the inning and tie the score at 3-3.
The Jumbo Shrimp bullpen was superb. Jake Fishman and Alberto Guerrero each worked a scoreless inning behind Castano. Andrew Bellatti fanned two across two scoreless innings, helping advance the game to extras. Tommy Eveld (win, 4-2) struck out three in two perfect innings to close out the night. The Jacksonville bullpen has not yielded a run in the last three ballgames, working 16 consecutive scoreless innings.
The Jumbo Shrimp look to take the lead in the series Saturday when they send lefty Braxton Garrett (4-3, 4.60) to go up against Durham righty Tommy Romero (2-2, 5.73). First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. and gates open at 5:30 p.m. On 9-0-4 Day, the first 2,000 fans through the gates will receive a Shrimp Fanny Pack thanks to Ascension St. Vincent’s. The Jumbo Shrimp will also wear their teal football-style uniforms, which fans can bid through an online auction. Be sure to stick around after the game for second of the Jumbo Shrimp’s three Weekend of Boom Fireworks Shows, presented by Ascension St. Vincent’s.
Coverage begins at 6:20 p.m. on ESPN 690 and online at espn690.com, MiLB.tv, and on 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.
