Groshans Leads Jumbo Shrimp to Fourth Straight Win
MEMPHIS (www.sportsdayjax.com) – Jordan Groshans laced a pair of two-run doubles Sunday to lead the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to a 7-4 victory and series win over the Memphis Redbirds from AutoZone Park.
Memphis (20-13) led 3-2 when Santiago Chavez and Jake Mangum each singled off Redbirds reliever Connor Thomas (4-2) to start the fifth inning. An error brought home Chavez to knot the score at three. After a pair of strikeouts, Groshans lashed his second two-run two-bagger to put Jacksonville (17-14) ahead 5-3.
With one out in the sixth, Cobie Fletcher-Vance singled before Chavez doubled him to third. Mangum followed by smashing a two-run double of his own to widen the gap to 7-3.
The Redbirds had just one hit in the game until the eighth. Masyn Winn began the frame with a base hit before Chase Pinder walked. After a strikeout, Moises Gomez and Luken Baker collected singles, with the latter scoring a run to cut the margin to 7-4.
The Jumbo Shrimp then turned to reliever Geoff Hartlieb, who fanned Oscar Mercado and Juniel Querecuto to escape the bases loaded jam. Hartlieb worked a perfect ninth for his first save.
The Jumbo Shrimp initially struck first in their first at-bats. With one out, C.J. Hinojosa singled and Charles Leblanc walked. Two batters later, Groshans doubled in the pair for the game’s first runs.
Memphis responded in the bottom of the first. Jacksonville starter Ronald Bolaños (1-2) walked Winn before hitting Jordan Walker with a pitch. After a double steal, Ivan Herrera smacked a two-bagger to even the score at two. Herrera advanced to third on a deep fly out to center before scoring on a Baker ground out.
Jacksonville returns home on Tuesday to begin a six-game series with the Norfolk Tides. RHP Jeff Lindgren (3-1, 4.57 ERA) starts for the Jumbo Shrimp.
