LOUISVILLE, Ky. (www.sportsdayjax.com)– Both Jerar Encarnacion and Austin Allen homered on Wednesday, but the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp blew a late lead in a 6-5 loss to the Louisville Bats from Louisville Slugger Field.
After Allen socked a two-run shot to give Jacksonville (19-20) a 5-4 lead in the eighth, Louisville was able to tie the game when Jason Vosler went yard in the bottom of the eighth off Jumbo Shrimp reliever Archie Bradley (0-1).
Bats relief pitcher Daniel Duarte (2-0) struck out the side in the top of the ninth before Bradley ran into trouble in the bottom of the ninth.
He yielded consecutive singles to Michael Siani and Jhonny Pereda to begin the frame before walking Alejo Lopez to load the bases. Will Benson then lifted a sacrifice fly to right to win it 6-5 for Louisville.
The Jumbo Shrimp initially struck first. Encarnacion walked and Jordan Groshans singled to start the second. A ground out moved both runners up before C.J. Hinojosa doubled in the pair for the game’s first runs.
The Bats struck back in the fourth. T.J. Hopkins walked with two outs. Consecutive singles by Nick Martini and Siani, with the latter scoring Hopins, halved the lead. Louisville grabbed the advantage on an error that plated two more runs to make it 3-2. The Bats added to their lead at 4-2 when Christian Encarnacion-Strand blasted a solo shot in the fifth.
Encarnacion’s homer to lead off the sixth pulled Jacksonville within one at 4-3.
Jacksonville aims for their first win of the series in Thursday’s 6:35 p.m. first pitch. RHP Ronald Bolaños (1-3, 5.57 ERA) starts for the Jumbo Shrimp against Bats RHP Levi Stoudt (1-2, 5.09 ERA).