Jumbo Shrimp combine for 26 hits in two games, take 3-1 lead in series
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp swept a doubleheader from the Memphis Redbirds Friday, taking game one 6-2 and coming away with a 7-2 victory in the finale AutoZone Park.
The Jumbo Shrimp (29-21) tallied 13 hits in each contest, while the Redbirds (19-33) scored runs in just three of the 14 innings at the plate.
In game one, Jacksonville grabbed the lead in the second inning. With two outs, Corey Bird singled to right and stole second base. After a walk to Tristan Pompey, Justin Twine singled up the middle to score Bird and put the Jumbo Shrimp ahead, 1-0.
Jacksonville built on that lead one inning later. Bryson Brigman led off the third inning with a triple to center field and came into score on a Brian Miller RBI single one batter later. With two outs in the inning, Chad Wallach lifted a solo home run to right field, his fourth of the season, to make it 3-0.
Nick Neidert (win, 3-0) worked five innings for Jacksonville, giving up just one run on four hits. The lone run against him came on a pinch-hit homer by Justin Williams in the fifth inning. Neidert started strong, retiring the first six batters he faced.
The Jumbo Shrimp added on in the seventh, sending eight men to the plate. Zack Zehner led off with a single, and Brigman followed with a bunt hit. After a fielder’s choice, Wallach drove home a run with a single to right. Isan Díaz plated two more runs with a double to center to push the advantage to 6-1.
The Redbirds second run also came via a pinch-hit homer, as Clint Coulter took Tommy Eveld (save, 3) deep in the seventh. Eveld tossed two innings and picked up a strikeout to earn the save.
In game two, the Jumbo Shrimp again got out to an early lead. With one out in the second, Bird walked and Brian Navarreto followed with a single through the left side. Zehner followed with an RBI single down the left field line to take the lead. Two batters later, Brandon Leibrandt was able to help his own cause with an RBI single to push the lead to 2-0.
Liebrandt got stronger as the game wore on. He finished by giving up just three baserunners across four scoreless innings of work, striking out eight. The only hit he allowed was an infield single, and the southpaw struck out five of the final six batters he faced.
Jacksonville added to their lead in the third inning, a frame in which they sent 10 men to the plate. Deven Marrero led off with a single and Isan Díaz followed with a ground rule double to put two in scoring position to begin the inning. Lorenzo Quintana then came through with an RBI single to center co score Marrero. After Navarreto walked to load the bases, Zehner singled home another run. Connor Justus followed suit to make it a 5-0 ballgame. With two outs, Brian Miller continued the rally with an RBI single to left to make it 6-0.
Jacksonville added a run in the fifth. Santiago Chavez walked as a pinch hitter, and after a two-out single from Deven Marrero, Díaz came through with a ground ball up the middle to score Chavez.
Parker Bugg (win, 3-0) relieved Liebrandt and fired the final three innings to pick up the win in relief. Bugg struck out three, while yielding only a pair of unearned runs in the seventh inning.
Jacksonville will go for a series win on Saturday when they send lefty Eric Stout (0-1, 15.58) to the mound to match up with Memphis right-hander Angel Rondon (0-4, 6.15). First pitch is slated for 7:35 p.m. and coverage begins at 7:20 p.m. on ESPN 690 as well as on 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.
