JACKSONVILLE - A four-run sixth inning guided the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to an 8-3 Easter Sunday win over the Durham Bulls Sunday afternoon from 121 Financial Ballpark.
Jacksonville (4-4) regained the lead in the bottom of the third to snap a 1-1 tie. Jake Mangum sliced a leadoff triple into the right-field corner.
Groshans followed with a double down the right field line, scoring Mangum, to collect his second RBI of the day as the Jumbo Shrimp took a 2-1 lead.
In the sixth inning, Jacksonville plated four runs to blow the game wide open.
Jerar Encarnacion knocked a single to right field and went to third on a single from Charles Leblanc. Two batters later Jacob Amaya walked to load the bases. A wild pitch by Bulls (3-5) reliever Yonny Chirinos brought home Encarnacion from third.
Then, Alex De Goti brought in Leblanc and Amaya with a two-run single to push the lead to 4-1. Santiago Chavez reached on an error in the next at-bat. With runners at first and second, Xavier Edwards doubled, bringing home De Goti to give the Jumbo Shrimp a 6-1 lead.
Jacksonville continued to pad their lead in the bottom of the seventh. Encarnacion knocked his second base hit of the day. Two batters later, Peyton Burdick (4) blasted a two-run home run, giving the Jumbo Shrimp an 8-1 lead.
Durham plated two in the final frame, but Enrique Burgos was able to close the door and seal the Jacksonville 8-3 win.
The Jumbo Shrimp got their bats going early against Durham starting Luis Patiño (0-2). Edwards led off with a single, Jacksonville’s eighth consecutive game with their leadoff man reaching base. Two batters later, Jordan Groshans lined an RBI single into right field, plating Edwards for a 1-0 Jacksonville lead.
The Bulls evened the score in the top of the third. Ruben Cardenas started the inning with a single and went to second as Niko Hulsizer reached on an error. With runners on first and second, Roberto Alvarez reached on a fielder’s choice and Cardenas went to third. Cardenas scored from third in the ensuing at-bat on a groundout by Curtis Mead.
Jumbo Shrimp starting pitcher Jeff Lindgren (1-0) picked up his first victory of the season, allowing one unearned run on two hits with two walks and a season-high seven punch outs.
Steven Okert pitched an inning of work as a part of his rehab assignment. Okert picked up three strikeouts in his scoreless outing.
Jacksonville will travel to Charlotte to begin their six-game series with the Knights on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. from Truist Field.