Ninth-inning rally falls short in 8-6 loss

Jumbo Shrimp drop series opener to Omaha, suffer seventh straight defeat

Tristan Gray homered in Tuesday's loss at Omaha. (Joey Mims/Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp)

By Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

May 7, 2024

PAPILLION, Neb. – Javier Sanoja collected four hits and an RBI, but the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp dropped an 8-6 contest to the Omaha Storm Chasers at Werner Park. Sanoja doubled just two batters into the game and scored on Troy Johnston’s RBI single. Two batters later, Tristan Gray blasted a

PAPILLION, Neb. – Javier Sanoja collected four hits and an RBI, but the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp dropped an 8-6 contest to the Omaha Storm Chasers at Werner Park.

Sanoja doubled just two batters into the game and scored on Troy Johnston’s RBI single. Two batters later, Tristan Gray blasted a two-run home run to give Jacksonville (16-18) a 3-0 lead.

That advantage, however, was short-lived. Jumbo Shrimp starter Kyle Tyler (1-1) walked Drew Waters with one out in the bottom of the first. After a fly out, Nick Pratto smacked an RBI double to get Omaha (20-11) on the board. Devin Mann followed with an RBI single and Nate Eaton crushed a two-run shot to give the Storm Chasers a 4-3 lead.

Waters doubled to lead off the third. After a pair of outs, Mann doubled him in to make it 5-3.

Omaha used a pair of two-baggers again in the fifth to add to their lead. Waters again led off the inning with a double. Two batters later, Pratto doubled him in.

With the score 6-3 in the eighth, Eaton reached second on an infield single coupled with an error. He scored on Tyler Gentry’s single, with Gentry reaching third on another error. After a walk, Austin Nola lifted sacrifice fly to put the gap at 8-3.

The Jumbo Shrimp rallied in the ninth. Griffin Conine drew a leadoff walk. Following a strikeout, Jonathan Guzman walked. Victor Mesa Jr. plated both runners with a double before scoring on Sanoja’s RBI single to pull within 8-6. However, Walter Pennington struck out the next two batters to end the threat and pick up his second save.

Jacksonville and Omaha meet in Wednesday’s 1:05 p.m. ET matinee. LHP Kent Emanuel (0-1, 2.53 ERA) starts for the Jumbo Shrimp against Storm Chasers RHP William Fleming (0-0, 4.50 ERA). Coverage begins at 12:50 p.m. ET on http://milb.streamguys1.com/jacksonville.

ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp offer affordable family fun at 121 Financial Ballpark. Their inaugural season garnered the Southern League’s Don Mincher Organization of the Year, Promotional Trophy and Jimmy Bragan Executive of the Year, won by general manager Harold Craw. The club added its second Promotional Trophy in three years following the 2019 season. The 2021 season marked the return of Triple-A baseball in Jacksonville. To experience the excitement with the terrific value of ticket and group options, call the Jumbo Shrimp at (904) 358-2846 or visit www.jaxshrimp.com.