Jumbo Shrimp take lead early, hold on late to dispatch Bulls

DURHAM, N.C. – Jesus Sánchez belted a two-run home run and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp scored two runs in the first and two more in the fourth before holding on late Tuesday to take the series opener from the Durham Bulls, 4-3, at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Jacksonville (5-2) scored first for the sixth time in seven games, helped by Sánchez’s fourth home run of the season. Jacksonville pitching also combined to strike out 13 Bulls (5-2) hitters in the contest.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. began his major league rehab assignment with a leadoff double to left-center. He finished 1-for-3. With two outs in the top of the first, Sánchez turned on a fastball from Durham starter Joe Ryan (1-1) and took it out to right field, to make it 2-0 Jacksonville.

The Jumbo Shrimp added to their lead in the fourth. Lewin Díaz and Sánchez worked back-to-back walks to begin the frame. With one away, Monte Harrison lined a ball of the left field wall with caromed away from Dalton Kelly, resulting in a two-run triple and a 4-0 Jacksonville lead.

Shawn Morimando made the start for the Jumbo Shrimp. He started strong, retiring the Bulls in order in an eight-pitch first inning, including two strikeouts. He worked around two walks in the second, striking out two more, and fanned another pair in the third. In the fourth, he got into trouble, loading the bases, but was able to minimize the damage to just one run on a fielder’s choice. He picked up his eighth strikeout to strand three and keep the Shrimp in front, 4-1.

Preston Guilmet (1-1) worked two scoreless innings in relief, retiring six of the eight men he faced, including a strikeout.

The Bulls chipped away in the late innings. Nathan Lukes led off the seventh with a double, advanced to second on a groundout, and scored on a sac fly from Wander Franco, to make it 4-2. Then in the eighth, Dalton Kelly launched a solo home run to right to cut it to a one-run affair.

Steven Okert came out of the pen for the Jumbo Shrimp in the ninth and retired the Bulls in order, striking out two, to lock down his second save.

The series continues Wednesday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. when Jacksonville sends righty Nick Neidert (0-0, 0.00) to the mound to face off with Bulls’ right-hander Adrian De Horta (0-0, 19.29). The broadcast will begin at 12:50 p.m. on espn690.com and the ESPN 690 Facebook page, as well as on MiLB.tv and the MiLB first pitch app.

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 marks 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.