JACKSONVILLE - Peyton Burdick lashed three hits, Lorenzo Quintana drove in four and four Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp pitchers combined to shut out the Charlotte Knights 9-0 in Friday’s series opener in front of 6,960 fans from 121 Financial Ballpark.
The Jumbo Shrimp (49-42) jumped on Knights (33-58) starter John Parke (2-10) from the very beginning of the game. Erik González and Peyton Burdick began the bottom of the first with singles. Two batters later Jerar Encarnacion drew the first of his career-high four walks to load the bases. After a foul out, Quintana cleared the bases with a double for the game’s first runs.
With the same score in the third, Encarnacion drew another walk with one out. After a double by JJ Bleday, Quintana lashed an RBI single to make it 4-0. Charles Leblanc followed with an RBI ground out to widen the gap to 5-0.
In the fifth, González singled and Burdick doubled with one out. Two batters after that, Encarnacion drew another free pass to load the bases. Bleday then registered a two-run base hit.
Leblanc jumpstarted the fifth inning with a hit by pitch before scoring on a double by Luis Aviles Jr. Lewin Díaz added a solo home run in the sixth inning to cap the scoring at 9-0.
In a rehab start, Jesús Luzardo pitched 4.0 hitless innings with three strikeouts. Will Stewart (4-3) followed with 3.0 innings and three more punchouts. Aneurys Zabala and Andrew Nardi each tossed a scoreless frame to complete the ninth shutout of the season for Jacksonville, matching an International League-high.
The Jumbo Shrimp send LHP Daniel Castano (3-0, 4.82 ERA) to the mound in Saturday’s 6:35 p.m. contest against Knights RHP Davis Martin (3-3, 4.06 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:20 p.m. on MiLB.tv, ESPN 690 and ESPN690.com.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, and the first 2,000 fans will receive a Jax Red Caps jersey presented by Florida Blue & VyStar Credit Union on the Jumbo Shrimp’s Red Caps Negro League Night. Sean Gibson, great-grandson of Negro leagues legend Josh Gibson, will throw out a ceremonial first pitch and be on hand for a meet-and-greet with fans. Following the game, fans can enjoy a postgame fireworks show.