Jumbo Shrimp tally 13 hits, hold on to win, 8-6
DURHAM, N.C. –Tied at 5-5 in the sixth inning, Monte Harrison crushed an opposite field two-run homer to right-center, as the Jumbo Shrimp went on to defeat the Durham Bulls, 8-6, in the finale at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Jacksonville (53-43) matched a season-high with four home runs in the ballgame, while Andrew Bellatti (save, 5) recorded the final four outs of the ballgame, including three strikeouts, and stranded the tying run in scoring position in the ninth inning.
The Jumbo Shrimp got out to an early lead in the second when Bryson Brigman tattooed his sixth home run of the season over the blue monster in left field to make it, 1-0. For Brigman it snapped a 148-at-bat homerless streak.
Then in the third inning Eddy Alvarez singled to right-center, advanced to second on a passed ball, and scored on a RBI single from Nick Fortes to go ahead, 2-0.
Durham responded in the third inning against Daniel Castano (win, 3-2). Nathan Lukes walked to lead off the frame, and after a single from Garrett Whitley, Taylor Walls blasted a go-ahead three-run home run to put Durham in front.
Castano struck out five over five innings of work, allowing five runs on five hits.
In the fourth inning Jacksonville when back in front on a Payton Henry two-run home run, to score Brigman, who walked in front of him with two outs.
But the lead was short lived. Mike Brosseau and Esteban Quiroz opened the bottom of the fourth inning with back-to-back home runs, to put Durham ahead, 5-4.
In the fifth, Alvarez doubled down the right field line and Fortes again followed with an RBI single to score him, knotting the score at 5-5.
After Harrison’s sixth inning home run off of Phoenix Sanders (loss, 4-2), Jacksonville struck with the long ball again in the seventh inning on Lewin Díaz’ 18th blast of the season, and second in as many days to make it 8-5.
The Bulls got a run back in the home seventh on a Whitley sac fly to plate Lukes, who led off the inning with a double.
After a day off Monday, the Jumbo Shrimp travel to face the Norfolk Tides in a six-game series beginning Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Jacksonville will send left-hander Braxton Garrett (4-3, 4.77) to the mound against Tides righty Mike Baumann (1-0, 2.81). Coverage will begin at 6:50 p.m. on ESPN 690 and online at espn690.com, 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.
