Jacksonville held hitless after the fourth inning in 4-2 loss
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Edward Cabrera dazzled on the mound for the Jumbo Shrimp Saturday, striking out 11, but the offense was kept quiet at the plate in a 4-2 loss to the Norfolk Tides in front of 6,010 at 121 Financial Ballpark.
Jacksonville (46-36) has been held to just six runs over their last four games, and mustered only seven hits in their last 25 innings.
The Tides (32-47) struck quickly on a leadoff home run from Mason McCoy to open the ballgame and put Norfolk in front 1-0.
Jacksonville equalized in the second. Corey Bird doubled down the right field line, and after Ofelky Peralta (win, 1-0) loaded the bases on a walk and a hit batter, Tustin Twine lifted a sacrifice fly to center to tie the score at 1-1.
The Tides regained the lead with a three-hit fourth inning. Tyler Nevin doubled to lead off the frame, and two batters later, came in to score on a double to left-center from Zach Jarrett. J.C. Escarra then followed with an RBI single to make it 3-1 Norfolk.
Despite allowing the go-ahead runs to score, Cabrera struck out three in the inning. He finished the night with 11 strikeouts, giving him 23 in his last two starts. He ultimately allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits while walking three.
Jacksonville got a run back in the fifth inning. Payton Henry walked to lead off the inning, and then Peralta walked Nick Fortes and Tristan Pompey to load the bases with one out. Henry then scored on a wild pitch, but Norfolk thwarted the threat with a fly out double-play to end the inning and remain in front, 3-2.
The visitors tacked on a run in the sixth when Kelvin Gutierrez led off with a walk, advanced to second on a passed ball, then to third on a groundout before scoring on a wild pitch to go back up by two.
Eric Stout worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Jumbo Shrimp, recording two strikeouts, while Mason Melotakis added a punchout in a perfect ninth.
David LeBron (save, 1) delivered three perfect innings out of the Tides bullpen, as the final 13 Jumbo Shrimp were retired in the contest.
The teams close out the series with a doubleheader Sunday, with first pitch of game one set for 4:05 p.m. The Jumbo Shrimp will send righty Cody Poteet (1-0, 3.38) to the hill for game one against Norfolk left-hander Alex Wells (5-3, 4.19), while lefty Brandon Leibrandt (0-4, 6.04) will match up with right-hander Konner Wade (3-1, 2.72) in game two.
Gates open at 3:30 p.m. for Baptist Health Sunday Family FUNday featuring free face painting and balloon animals and postgame kids-run-the-bases following game two of the twin bill. It’s also Comic Hero Day presented by Gotham City Limit and the Jumbo Shrimp will be taking the field in special Comic Hero jerseys and caps, featuring Captain Crustacean and Dr. Cocktail Sauce. Fans may also receive a free hard copy of the Jumbo Shrimp’s comic book, “Into The… Shrimpverse!!!,” by stopping by the Gotham City Limit table on the concourse.
Coverage begins at 3:50 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.
