Smith stars as Jacksonville rallies for series win

Southpaw fans 11 and Shrimp score four in the eighth to beat Pensacola 4-2

Caleb Smith matched a Southern League record by striking out eight straight batters on Monday. (Emma Napper)

By Scott Kornberg

June 24, 2019

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Caleb Smith tied a Southern League record with eight straight strikeouts and finished with 11 whiffs, and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp rallied for four runs in the eighth to beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 4-2 from the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.With Pensacola (40-35, 2-3) ahead 2-0, Stone

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Caleb Smith tied a Southern League record with eight straight strikeouts and finished with 11 whiffs, and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp rallied for four runs in the eighth to beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 4-2 from the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
With Pensacola (40-35, 2-3) ahead 2-0, Stone Garrett singled and Adrian Nieto walked to begin the eighth inning against Blue Wahoos reliever Jeff Ames (1-3). Anfernee Seymour doubled in Garrett and then Corey Bird notched an infield single to load the bases. After a strikeout, Brian Miller's RBI infield single tied the score at two. After a ground out, Justin Twine singled in two runs to put Jacksonville (32-43, 3-2) up 4-2.

Smith finished with 11 strikeouts against one walk in 4.1 innings. He yielded two runs on two hits in his injury rehabilitation start from Miami. McKenzie Mills pitched 2.2 scoreless innings, Tyler Stevens (3-1) added another in the eighth and Tommy Eveld earned his first save with a shutout ninth.
After giving up a home run to Pensacola's leadoff hitter Travis Blankenhorn, Smith fanned the next eight Blue Wahoos, becoming the fifth Southern League pitcher to ever accomplish that feat.
In the fifth, Mark Contreras launched a solo shot off Smith to increase the Jacksonville deficit to 2-0.
Pensacola starter Griffin Jax fired seven scoreless innings, yielding just two hits while striking out five to earn the win.
Monday's winning raffle number of 1216895009 won a prize of $87.
Jacksonville opens up a five-game series at Montgomery in Tuesday's 7:35 p.m. ET contest. RHP Jorge Guzman (3-7, 3.89 ERA) start for the Jumbo Shrimp. Coverage begins at 7:20 p.m. on MiLB.tv, Sunny 102.3 FM, TuneIn and jaxshrimp.com.
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.