Jacksonville holds on for thrilling 12-11 win

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Griffin Conine launched a grand slam and Victor Mesa Jr. homered and reached base four times as the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp held on Thursday for a thrilling 12-11 victory over the Gwinnett Stripers from Coolray Field.

Making his Triple-A debut, Gwinnett (23-25) starter Ian Mejia (0-1) walked Mesa Jr. as the first batter of the game before giving up a single to Javier Sanoja. A fielder’s choice put runners on the corners before Tristan Gray walked. After a strikeout, Conine followed by bashing the first grand slam of the season for Jacksonville (20-28) to go up 4-0.

Mesa Jr. homered to lead off the second to make it 5-0.

In the bottom of the second, the Stripers started the inning with singles from Eli White and Phillip Evans. After a fly out, Alejo Lopez walked to load the bases. Sebastian Rivero then drew a free pass to force in a run and Skye Bolt added a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 5-2.

The Jumbo Shrimp answered in the third. Will Banfield led off with a double, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a passed ball. Marty Costes walked, Cristhian Rodriguez singled and Jonathan Davis was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Following a pop out, Sanoja earned a free pass to plate Costes. A wild pitch then scored Rodriguez to increase the lead to 8-2.

Gwinnett came charging back in the fourth. After Rivero walked with one out, Bolt cracked a two-run homer. Two batters later, Sean Murphy went yard. Andrew Velazquez then doubled before White walked. Consecutive RBI singles from Evans and Luke Waddell got the Stripers within 8-7.

Jacksonville answered in the fifth. Mesa Jr. and Sanoja each singled with one out. A wild pitch advanced both runners and Jonah Bride plated both with a two-run single to go ahead 10-7.

A Velazquez homer to lead off the sixth then made it 10-8.

In the seventh, Mesa Jr. singled and an error put Sanoja on to begin the frame. Following a strikeout, a double steal put runners on second and third. After a pop out, Banfield cashed in both runners with a base knock to widen the gap to 12-8.

Rivero began the bottom of the seventh with a base hit. After a pair of flyouts, he scored all the way from first on a Murphy double.

The Stripers had one last gasp in the eighth. White led off with a single. After a strikeout, Waddell walked. Lopez cashed in White with a single before Rivero walked again to load the bases. An RBI ground out set the margin to 12-11, but Forrest Wall flied out to the warning track in center to end the inning.

In the ninth, Elvis Alvarado pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts to pick up his second save.

Jacksonville battles Gwinnett again in Friday’s 7:05 p.m. contest. RHP Max Meyer (0-3, 7.56 ERA) starts for the Jumbo Shrimp. Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on ESPN 690 AM and www.ESPN690.com.

ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins and compete in the International League. The team calls 121 Financial Ballpark home for baseball but also a wide variety of additional community focused events with a goal of providing Affordable, Family, FUN to Northeast Florida. Winners of many marketing and sales awards and recognition since the team was rebranded prior to the 2017 season, the Jumbo Shrimp continually lead the state of Florida in attendance across all minor league professional sports organizations.