Quintana tallies third straight two-hit game for Shrimp
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp rallied from a 3-0 deficit to take a 6-3 lead, but the advantage was short lived, as the Charlotte Knights stormed back to score 10 runs in a 13-7 victory at Truist Field on Saturday.
Jacksonville (23-17) suffers their first loss of the season when scoring six runs or more, after starting the year 16-0 in those scenarios. Charlotte (16-24) clubbed four more home runs in the ballgame, to give them 17 in the series.
Trailing 3-0 in the third inning, Zack Zehner led off the inning with a double to left field, and came into score on a Bryson Brigman RBI single up the middle to put Jacksonville on the board.
The Jumbo Shrimp continued to chip away in the fourth. Lorenzo Quintana reached on an infield single, capping a ten-pitch at-bat, and Corey Bird followed with an RBI double to make it 3-2. Later in the inning, Bird scored on a Brian Miller fielder’s choice groundout to tie the score against Jimmy Lambert, who retired the first six hitters he faced to open the game.
Justin Twine then gave the Jumbo Shrimp the lead, crushing a solo home run to left field off of Kyle Kubat (win, 1-0) to lead off the fifth. With two outs, Connor Justus walked and Quintana singled, and both scored on an errant throw to first on a Chad Wallach ground ball, to put the Shrimp in front, 6-3. Quintana has now tallied three straight two-hit games, and has nine hits through five games in the series.
After giving up three runs in the first two innings, Braxton Garrett (loss 3-2) settled down to retire seven in a row entering the home fifth. However, Garrett lost in command in the inning, loading the bases on a single and two walk, and Tim Beckham came through with a sacrifice fly to plate a run, and Garrett then reloaded the bases on another walk and a single to end his outing.
Sean Guenther came out of the Jumbo Shrimp bullpen, and Blake Rutherford greeted him with a grand slam to right-center to put Charlotte back in front, 8-6, as the Knights batted around in the inning.
Gavin Sheets hit a solo homer in the seventh, and Zach Remillard added a solo shot in the eighth, as part of a three-run frame, to push the Knights advantage to 13-6. It was Remillard’s second home run of the game, after he hit a two-run shot in the second inning to put the Knights ahead, 3-0.
Jacksonville scored one run in the ninth when Twine reached on an infield single, advanced to second on a groundout, to third on a passed ball, and scored on a Quintana RBI groundout, to make it 13-7.
The Jumbo Shrimp will look to earn a series split by winning the finale on Sunday, as they send lefty Shawn Morimando (1-2, 6.35) to the mound to face off with Knights’ right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (0-4, 8.31). First pitch is slated for 2:05 p.m. and the broadcast will begin at 1:50 p.m. on ESPN 690, the ESPN 690 Facebook page, and on MiLB.tv.
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.
