PEARL, Miss. - The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (1-3, 29-43) fell to the Mississippi Braves (3-1, 32-42) by a 17-1 score in the fourth game of the six-game series at Trustmark Park on Sunday.
PEARL, Miss. - The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (1-3, 29-43) fell to the Mississippi Braves (3-1, 32-42) by a 17-1 score in the fourth game of the six-game series at Trustmark Park on Sunday.
Jacksonville starting pitcher Merandy Gonzalez (0-2) took the loss, allowing seven runs on five hits with a season-high seven walks and two strikeouts in his four-plus innings of work. Mississippi starter Touki Toussaint (4-6) earned the victory by pitching five innings where he allowed one run (unearned) on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts, and he also was 2-for-3 with an RBI and double at the plate.
The Braves started the scoring in the bottom of the first, when Travis Demeritte had a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to score Daniel Lockhart from third to take a 1-0 lead. Mississippi added to the lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI single by Lockhart to make it a 2-0 game. Jacksonville answered in the top of the third on an RBI single by Peter O'Brien to make it a 2-1 game. In the bottom of the third, Gonzalez threw three wild pitches in the inning, with two bringing in runs to grow Mississippi's lead to 4-1.
Mississippi broke it open with 11 runs in the bottom of the fifth off seven hits (five doubles), four walks, and Brandon Downes brought in the last two runs of the rally with a towering two-run home run to left field to grow the lead to 15-1. After Gonzalez started the inning with two walks and a double allowed, Jacksonville left-handed relief pitcher Miguel Del Pozo entered and allowed eight runs (all earned) on six hits with two walks as he retired just two batters, and right-handed relief pitcher Reilly Hovis ended the inning on the mound.
The Braves added single runs in the seventh and eighth to push the lead to 17-1, which would be the final. 17 runs in a game is the most allowed by a Jacksonville pitching staff since a 17-1 home loss to Pensacola on April 21, 2014.
Jacksonville's Monte Harrison singled in the seventh inning to extend his hitting streak to a season-long seven games. Lukas Schiraldi worked a scoreless eighth inning on the mound for Jacksonville in relief.
The Jumbo Shrimp and Braves will continue their series with the fifth game of the six-game series on Monday night at Trustmark Park at 8 p.m. eastern. Jacksonville right-hander Nick Neidert (6-4, 3.16 ERA) will start for the Jumbo Shrimp against Mississippi right-hander Enderson Franco (2-4, 3.86 ERA). Fans can listen to Thursday's game on the Jumbo Shrimp Network presented by Community First, beginning at 7:45 p.m. eastern with the pregame show "Shrimp On Deck" locally on Sunny 102.3 FM, on the TuneIn Radio app, and www.jaxshrimp.com.
The Jumbo Shrimp return home Thursday, June 28, to begin a six-game series with the Montgomery Biscuits on Budweiser Thirsty Thursday, with $1 12-oz. and $2 24-oz. beers at select locations, plus $1 sodas at the main concession stands. The game is Teacher Appreciation Night.
ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp offer affordable family fun at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. 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. 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.
