Stripers Ride Six-Run First Inning to 9-4 Triumph in Jacksonville

Luis Liberato, Luke Waddell each post three-RBI efforts for Gwinnett

Luis Liberato homered for the fourth time since the start of August on Thursday night in Jacksonville. (Matthew Caldwell)

By Dave Lezotte (@davelezotte)

September 19, 2024

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – Luis Liberato launched a three-run home run to cap a six-run first inning and Luke Waddell lined a two-run single in the ninth to put the game away as the Gwinnett Stripers (72-75) earned a wire-to-wire 9-4 win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (70-76) on Thursday night

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – Luis Liberato launched a three-run home run to cap a six-run first inning and Luke Waddell lined a two-run single in the ninth to put the game away as the Gwinnett Stripers (72-75) earned a wire-to-wire 9-4 win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (70-76) on Thursday night at 121 Financial Ballpark. Gwinnett leads the final series 2-1.

Decisive Plays: The Stripers scored all six runs in the first inning with two outs, getting RBI singles from Luke Williams, Waddell, and Brian Anderson, and the three-run home run from Liberato (4). Jacksonville chipped away with a solo homer from Deyvison De Los Santos in the first, RBI single by Jared Serna in the second, and two-run homer by Agustin Ramirez in the third. Gwinnett’s 6-4 lead stayed put until the ninth, when a bases-loaded walk by Wiliams and two-run single by Waddell made it 9-4.

Key Contributors: Waddell (2-for-5, 3 RBIs), Liberato (1-for-4, homer, 3 RBIs), and Williams (1-for-4, 2 RBIs) all had multi-RBI games for the Stripers. Domingo Gonzalez (W, 3-2) fired 3.0 hitless innings and struck out three in relief for the win, and Jackson Stephens (H, 4) and Tyler Matzek each added 1.0 scoreless inning to finish the game. For Jacksonville, Ramirez (3-for-3, double, homer, 2 RBIs) and De Los Santos (2-for-45, double, homer, RBI) each had multi-hit efforts.

Noteworthy: Liberato has hit all four of his home runs since the start of August, posting an .803 OPS over 31 games in that stretch. Gonzalez is 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA (1 ER in 10.0 IP), 1.00 WHIP, and .121 BAA over five outings (1 start) in September.

Next Game (Friday, September 20): Gwinnett at Jacksonville, 7:05 p.m. ET at 121 Financial Ballpark. Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. ET on 1077TheBreeze.com. RHP Drue Hackenberg (2-7, 5.21 ERA) vor the Stripers vs. TBD for the Jumbo Shrimp.