Brigman homers, Guilmet fans five in relief
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp were unable to overcome five home runs from the Charlotte Knights on Thursday in a 9-3 loss at Truist Field.
Jacksonville (22-16) has gone just 8-for-39 with runners in scoring position in the series, while the Knights (15-23) have now belted 11 homers over the last three games.
Tim Beckham put the Knights on the scoreboard with solo home run to lead off the second inning. It was the fifth home run he has hit in the series, and eighth in the month of June. Later in the frame, Nate Nolan took Eric Stout (loss, 0-1) deep on a solo shot to right field to make it 2-0.
Jacksonville responded in the third. Bryson Brigman led off with an infield single, and then Brian Miller singled up the middle to put runners at the corners. Lorenzo Quintana followed with a sacrifice fly to right to put the Jumbo Shrimp on the board. Two batters later, Zack Zehner lined a ball off the wall in right field to score Miller and tie the score at 2-2.
The Knights quickly regained the lead in the home half of the frame. With two outs and Gavin Sheets on at first after a fielder’s choice, Jake Burger homered to left field to put Charlotte back in front by two. After Beckham walked and Nick Williams singled, Mikie Mahtook launched a three-run homer to increase the lead to 7-2.
Preston Guilmet shined for the Jumbo Shrimp in relief. After giving up a leadoff double to start the fifth inning, he retired the next six batters he faced, picking up five strikeouts in two innings of work.
Brigman powered a solo home run to left field in the seventh inning for his third of the season, but Jacksonville was limited to just three baserunners from the fourth inning on.
Mahtook blasted his second home run of the game in the eighth inning, a two-run shot to score Beckham, who had led off with a single, to push the Charlotte lead to 9-3.
Game four of the six-game series gets underway Friday night at 7:04 p.m. when Jacksonville righty Parker Bugg (1-0, 5.21) squares off with Charlotte right-hander Jonathan Stiever (2-2, 5.19). The broadcast will begin at 6:49 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.
