Shrimp fall to M-Braves 3-2 on Walk-Off Homer

PEARL, Miss. - The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (15-16, 45-56) fell to the Mississippi Braves (11-19, 45-55) by a 3-2 score in the first game of the five-game series at Trustmark Park on Tuesday night. 

M-Braves center fielder Connor Lien ended the game in the bottom of the ninth with a walk-off home run over the left field wall to give Mississippi the 3-2 victory.
Jacksonville right-handed reliever Severino González (4-5) took the loss by allowing the walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth, while M-Braves right-handed reliever Jacob Webb (1-1) earned the win by working the final two innings where he allowed an unearned run on two hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
After not having a baserunner through the first three innings against Jacksonville left-handed starter Matt Tomshaw, Mississippi broke through in the bottom of the fourth, with Tyler Neslony hitting an infield RBI single to give the M-Braves a 1-0 lead. Jacksonville quickly answered, as Chris Diaz led off the top of the fifth with a double, then later scored on a Braxton Lee sacrifice fly to even the score 1-1.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh, when Mississippi's Travis Demeritte hit a solo homer to left to give the M-Braves a 2-1 lead. Again Mississippi's lead was short-lived, as John Norwood scored from second base on a single by Dustin Geiger and an error by M-Braves left fielder Neslony brought Norwood in to tie the game at 2-2.
Jacksonville right-handed relief pitcher Esmerling De La Rosa got into trouble in the bottom of the eighth, as the M-Braves loaded the bases with nobody out. However he forced Joey Meneses to ground into a 5-2-3 double play, before he walked Demeritte to once again load the bases. De La Rosa then struck out catcher Kade Scivicque to end the inning keeping the score 2-2.
The Jumbo Shrimp were retired in order in the top of the ninth before Lien won the game in the bottom of the ninth with his walk-off homer, his third hit of the game.
Both starters had no decisions but turned in quality starts. Mississippi starter Mike Soroka pitched seven innings where he allowed a run on six hits with no walks and six strikeouts, and left in line for his 11^th win of the season. Tomshaw for Jacksonville worked seven innigns where he allowed two runs on six hits with a walk on seven strikeouts.
The Jumbo Shrimp and M-Braves will continue their series with the second game of the five-game set on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET at Trustmark Park. Right-handed pitcher Trevor Richards (2-2, 3.51 ERA) will start for Jacksonville against Mississippi left-hander Tyler Pike (0-4, 4.64 ERA). Fans can listen to the game on the Jumbo Shrimp Network presented by Community First, beginning at 7:45 p.m. with the pregame show "Shrimp On Deck" locally on FM 100.3 The Biz and AM 1600, on the TuneIn Radio app, and www.jaxshrimp.com.
ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are beginning a new era of affordable family fun with the 2017 season presented by Community First Credit Union at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. With a new lineup of ticket and group options, there is a reason for everyone to get part of the action by calling the Jumbo Shrimp at (904) 358-2846 or visiting www.jaxshrimp.com.