Jacksonville sweeps doubleheader with Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp swept their doubleheader with the Charlotte Knights 3-1 and 4-3, Wednesday night from Truist Field.

Jacksonville (67-72, 32-32) opened the scoring in game one in the top of the first inning. Jakob Marsee led off with a base hit off Charlotte (64-73, 31-32) starter Trey McGough (L, 6-2). Jacob Berry followed with a single and Marsee advanced to third. With runners at the corners, Deyvison De Los Santos hit a sac fly to score Marsee giving the Jumbo Shrimp the lead 1-0.

The Jumbo Shrimp extended their lead in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Dalvy Rosario doubled and scored on a double from Harrison Spohn giving Jacksonville a two-run cushion.

Charlotte cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Rafael Ortega (10) homered off Jumbo Shrimp reliever Luarbert Arias (W, 8-6) to make it a one-run contest.

Jacksonville plated their final run in the top of the seventh. A walk coupled with a pair of stolen bases put Marsee on third. Berry knocked him in with a sac fly pushing the Jumbo Shrimp ahead 3-1.

Elvis Alvarado (S, 9) notched a six-out save, striking out five to secure the 3-1 win for Jacksonville.

The Knights took the early advantage in the bottom of the first in game two. Danny Mendick reached on an error with one out and Tim Elko (7) walloped a two-run shot off Jumbo Shrimp starter Patrick Monteverde (W, 4-3).

After two scoreless frames, Jacksonville flipped the script in the top of the third. Spohn reached on an error to start the inning and Agustín Ramírez walked two batters later. With runners on first and second, De Los Santos crushed a three-run homer off Knights starter Johan Domínguez to give the Jumbo Shrimp a 3-2 lead.

Charlotte responded immediately in the bottom of the fourth. Elko led off with a double, advanced to third on a flyout and scored on an RBI single from Carlos Pérez, tying the game at three.

As the game went to the late stages, the Jumbo Shrimp found some late inning power. With one out in the top of the sixth, Berry (2) hit a solo homer off Knights’ reliever Nick Padilla (L, 0-2) to put Jacksonville in front 4-3.

Austin Roberts (S, 2) struck out two in the bottom of the seventh locking down the doubleheader sweep.

Jacksonville continues their series with Charlotte in Thursday’s 7:04 p.m. contest. RHP Yonny Chirinos (9-5, 3/07 ERA) starts on the hill for the Jumbo Shrimp and the Knights will hand the ball to RHP Mason Adams (0-0, 6.00 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.