Early runs help Jacksonville outlast Memphis in series win

Jumbo Shrimp plate seven runs in first three innings

Griffin Conine cracks a two-run homer and finishes 3-for-4 in Jacksonville's 7-6 win over Memphis Sunday afternoon. (Wyatt Lucovsky/Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp)

By Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

June 23, 2024

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Thanks to seven runs in the first three innings, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp outlasted the Memphis Redbirds 7-6 Sunday afternoon for a series win at AutoZone Park. Jacksonville (35-40) struck first in the top of the first inning. Xavier Edwards started the game with a base hit

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Thanks to seven runs in the first three innings, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp outlasted the Memphis Redbirds 7-6 Sunday afternoon for a series win at AutoZone Park.

Jacksonville (35-40) struck first in the top of the first inning. Xavier Edwards started the game with a base hit off Memphis hurler Nick Raquet (L, 0-4). Three batters later, Griffin Conine (15) blasted a two-run homer to put the Jumbo Shrimp in front, 2-0.

The Jumbo Shrimp blew the game open in the top of the second. Troy Johnston (4) launched a solo shot to kick off the frame pushing the lead to 3-0. Tristan Gray followed with a base hit and Jonathan Davis drew a walk. A flyout pushed Gray to third and Edwards doubled to score Gray giving Jacksonville a four-run advantage. Davis went to third on the double and Javier Sanojasmacked a two-run single increasing the lead to 6-0.

Jacksonville’s final run came in the top of the third. After a double play, Johnston tripled and scored on a single from Gray for a seven-run advantage.

The Redbirds slowly chipped away at their deficit. In the bottom of the third, Luken Baker (18) and César Prieto (10) clubbed back-to-back two-out home runs to make the score 7-2.

Memphis came storming back in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Willson Contreras and Matt Koperniak knocked consecutive singles. Baker (19) walloped a three-run homer, his second big fly of the day, to cut the deficit to two, 7-5.

The Redbirds final tally came in the bottom of the seventh. Koperniak (9) crushed a solo home run to bring Memphis back to within one, 7-6.

Luarbert Arias and Emmanuel Ramirez (S, 4) tossed two scoreless innings securing Jacksonville’s 7-6 win.

Following an off day tomorrow, Jacksonville welcomes in the Nashville Sounds for a six-game homestand at 121 Financial Ballpark.

Gates open at 6 p.m. Tuesday night for Random Headshot Night.

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.