Late long ball not enough, as BayBears drop series opener

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (May 17, 2018) - The Mobile BayBears, the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, finally scored in the ninth inning to break up a shutout but fell 7-3 to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in the series opener Thursday night at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
With two outs and an 0-2 count, Michael Barash delivered with a three-run homer to left field to put the BayBears (19-20) on the board. It was Barash's first home run since Opening Day. However, the runs came too late, as Mobile managed just one baserunner from the third through the eighth inning.
Nick Neidert (4-3) was dominant in his start for Jacksonville (17-23). After giving up hits in each of the first two frames, he did not allow another over 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Neidert set down 11 straight batters from the second until a two-out walk in the fifth. Altogether, he retired 17 of the last 18 and recorded a season-high 11 strikeouts.
Luis Pena (1-4) completed six innings but took the loss, giving up six runs over the first three frames. He allowed two home runs for the second straight start, both by Brian Schales in the first and third. Jeremy Rhoades extended his scoreless streak to 19 1/3 straight innings, and he has not allowed a run since April 11 at Jacksonville.
The BayBears continue the six-game road series against Jacksonville with a doubleheader Friday beginning at 4:05 p.m. CDT. Live coverage can be seen on MiLB.tv (Jacksonville feed, subscription required, promo code: BAYBEARS) and heard on the BayBears Broadcast Network, the TuneIn Radio App, and the MiLB First Pitch App, with the Countdown to First Pitch starting at 3:45 p.m.
The BayBears return home Wednesday and host a total of 70 home dates through Labor Day, September 3. Single-game tickets and ticket packages are currently on sale. Season tickets and group and hospitality offerings for the 2018 season can be reserved by calling (251) 479-BEAR (2327).
 
About the Mobile BayBears
The Mobile BayBears are the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels and play their games at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Ala. The BayBears were founded in 1997 and have won four Southern League titles in 1998, 2004, 2011, and 2012. Additionally, the 1998 and 2011 championship squads were named Minor League Team of the Year by Baseball America. More than 160 former BayBears have reached the Major League level, including All-Stars Max Scherzer, Paul Goldschmidt, Jake Peavy, Carlos González, and Justin Upton. For more information on the Mobile BayBears and Hank Aaron Stadium, please visit MobileBayBears.com, call (251) 479-BEAR (2327), or contact Steve Goldberg via email at [email protected].
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