Jumbo Shrimp Split Doubleheader with Stripers
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (www.jaxsportsnews.com) – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp split their doubleheader against the Gwinnett Stripers Saturday by winning the opening game 8-4 and dropping the finale 4-1 in a five-inning rain-shortened contest.
In game one, Jumbo Shrimp (56-55) starter Bradley Blalock (W, 2-8) allowed three unearned runs and one walk over five innings while striking out eight Stripers (58-54) to earn his first winning decision since May 2.
Jacksonville opened the scoring in the top of the first after Cam Cannarella singled, stole second and scored on a Graham Pauley double.
The Jumbo Shrimp expanded their lead to 5-0 thanks to a four-run top half of the third. Garret Forrester walked and Cannarella doubled to open the frame. Jonathon Long’s single one batter later plated Forrester. A throwing error on a pickoff attempt by Gwinnett starter Drue Hackenberg (L, 1-1) brought in Cannarella. Kemp Alderman (15) capped off the rally with a two-run blast to right-center.
Alderman tacked on another run in the fifth for Jacksonville by doubling in Long, who reached on a one-out single.
The Stripers cut the deficit to 6-3 with a fifth inning surge. After Kyle Farmer reached on an error, he scored on back-to-back singles from Jair Camargo and Cal Conley. A double steal and Brewer Hicklen walk loaded the bases for Rowdy Tellez, who ground a single up the middle to plate a pair.
The Jumbo Shrimp found a pair of insurance runs in the final two frames. A sixth inning two-out rally saw a Forrester walk and Cannarella single precede another RBI single for Long to push the advantage to 7-3.
In the seventh, Brayden Taylor walked and Gage Miller doubled before Maximo Acosta brought around Taylor with a base hit to make it 8-3.
The Stripers’ seventh inning comeback effort fell short after a Conley lead-off single and Patrick Clohisy double set up a Hicklen sac fly to set the final margin at 8-4.
In game two, Gwinnett got to Jacksonville starter Karson Milbrandt (L, 0-5) early thanks to a three-run first. Milbrandt walked the first two batters and surrendered a single to Tellez, loading the bases for Carlos Santana, who doubled home Clohisy and Hicklen to open up a 2-0 Stripers lead. A Brett Wisely single scored Santana to make it 3-0.
Gwinnett added on in the second on a Sandy Leon (2) leadoff solo home run to right, lifting the lead to 4-0.
Jared Serna engineered Jacksonville’s lone run in the top of the third inning. He opened the frame with an infield single. stole second and scored two batters later on a fielding error.
The game was called after five innings due to persistent inclement weather at Gwinnett Field.
The series concludes Sunday at 4:05 p.m. with Jacksonville right-hander Jace Beck (0-1, 6.60) scheduled to start on the mound in his Miami Marlins organizational debut opposite Gwinnett right-hander Cedric De Grandpre (0-0, 5.00)
