Winning streak ends at four as Jacksonville falls 5-1 to Knights

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Brian Miller smacked four hits for the Jumbo Shrimp on Friday, but Jacksonville was unable to string hits together in a 5-1 loss to the Charlotte Knights at 121 Financial Ballpark.

Jacksonville (64-48) has their four-game winning streak come to a close, while Charlotte (43-69) snaps their four-game skid.

Jason Alexander (loss, 0-1) made his first start for Jacksonville since being activated from the injured list. He retired the Knights in order in the first inning, but the Knights loaded the bases in the second on two singles and a hit batter. With two outs, Ruben Tejada ripped a two-run single to put Charlotte in front. Alexander would ultimately strike out the side in the inning and finish with five strikeouts in two innings of work.

The Jumbo Shrimp cut the deficit in half in the fourth when Nick Fortes laced a home run just inside the right field foul pole, his fourth of the season, to make it 2-1.

That was the only run that Knights starter Kade McClure (win, 2-1) surrendered. He struck out five over five innings of work, scattering five hits and a walk.

Charlotte added three runs in the fifth inning. Adam Engel reached on an error and Zack Collins walked to begin the inning. Jake Burger ripped a triple up the left-center alleyway to make it 4-1. Later in the inning, Mikie Mahtook rolled an infield single to score Burger and put the tally at 5-1.

The bottom five batters in the Jumbo Shrimp order did not reach base in the ballgame. Miller doubled twice in addition to a pair of singles, accounting for all but two of the Jacksonville hits.

Jacksonville will look to win the series Saturday as they face off with Charlotte in a doubleheader beginning at 4:35 p.m. Left-hander Braxton Garrett (4-3, 4.26) will start game one for Jacksonville, against fellow lefty John Parke (2-2, 4.24) for Charlotte.

Gates open at 3:30 p.m. and the first 2,000 fans through the gate will be going home with a Shrimp Tail blanket thanks to Charlie's Tropic Heating & Air. Also, the Jumbo Shrimp will say thank you to all the first responders in the Jacksonville area on First Responders Night.

Coverage begins at 4:20 p.m. at Facebook.com/espn690JAX and online at MiLB.tv.

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.