Home runs sink Jacksonville in 9-4 loss

Rosario and Spohn tally multi-hit games

Harrison Spohn goes 2-for-4 in Jacksonville's 9-4 loss to Charlotte Thursday night. (Wyatt Lucovsky/Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp)

By Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

September 12, 2024

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – One night after their doubleheader sweep, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp fell 9-4 to the Charlotte Knights Thursday night at Truist Field. With the score tied at three, Charlotte (65-73 ,32-32) blew the game open in the bottom of the second. Rafael Ortega and Canaan Smith-Njigba drew consecutive

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – One night after their doubleheader sweep, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp fell 9-4 to the Charlotte Knights Thursday night at Truist Field.

With the score tied at three, Charlotte (65-73 ,32-32) blew the game open in the bottom of the second. Rafael Ortega and Canaan Smith-Njigba drew consecutive walks. Following a line out, Yoán Moncada put the Knights ahead 4-3 with an RBI double, scoring Ortega from second. With runners on second and third, Tim Elko (8) continued his hot hitting with a three-run blast off Jacksonville (67-73, 32-33) hurler Yonny Chirinos (L, 9-6) widening the gap for Charlotte, 7-3.

The Jumbo Shrimp plated their final run in the top of the fourth. Dalvy Rosario and Harrison Spohn knocked consecutive base hits to start the inning. Jakob Marsee flied out to left and Rosario tagged up for third. With runners on the corners, Agustín Ramírezknocked in Rosario with a base hit, cutting the deficit to 7-4.

Charlotte’s final tally came in the bottom of the seventh. Moncada led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Colson Montgomery flied out to center and Moncada advanced to third. Carlos Pérez reached on a fielding error that scored Moncada pushing the lead to 8-4.

Jacksonville opened the scoring courtesy of some lackluster defense from Charlotte. Marsee drew a leadoff walk and Ramírez reached on an error. Marsee stole third and scored as Troy Johnston reached on a fielder’s choice to put the Jumbo Shrimp ahead 1-0. With a runner on first, Deyvison De Los Santos reached on the second error of the inning, allowing Johnston to advance to third. Jacob Berry reached on a fielder’s choice in the following at-bat, and Johnston scored to put the Jumbo Shrimp ahead 2-0.

The Knights flipped the game on it’s head in the bottom of the first. Mark Payton singled and went to second on a wild pitch. A groundball pushed him to third and he scored on a two-out double from Montgomery cutting the deficit to 2-1. Pérez (12) followed with a two-run shot putting Charlotte ahead 3-2.

The Jumbo Shrimp drew even in the top of the second. Ali Sánchez led off with a single and went to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Sánchez scored from third on a base hit from Marsee tying the game at three.

Jacksonville continues their series with Charlotte in Friday’s 7:04 p.m. contest. LHP Ryan Weathers (0-0, 6.75 ERA) makes a rehab start for the Jumbo Shrimp and the Knights will hand the ball to RHP Cory Abbott (5-3, 4.41 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:49 p.m. on ESPN 690, and www.ESPN690.com.

ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins and compete in the International League. The team calls 121 Financial Ballpark home for baseball but also a wide variety of additional community focused events with a goal of providing Affordable, Family, FUN to Northeast Florida. Winners of many marketing and sales awards and recognition since the team was rebranded prior to the 2017 season, the Jumbo Shrimp continually lead the state of Florida in attendance across all minor league professional sports organizations.