Jumbo night: Triple play, 20 runs and ... a wedding?

A lot of things happened at the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp game on Saturday.

It started with a triple play to escape a jam in the first inning and ended with the Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate hitting two grand slams and putting up 20 runs in a home game for the first time since at least 2005. Oh, and there was a wedding ceremony in between innings, too.

Let’s start from the beginning. Visiting Charlotte opened the game with four straight hits, giving them a 2-0 lead with runners on first and third. Victor Reyes skied a ball to rehabbing right-fielder Jesús Sánchez, and the play looked like it would be a routine sacrifice fly.

But Sánchez has a cannon -- his arm strength is in the 89th percentile, according to Statcast data. He fired a perfect strike to the plate to cut down the runner at home, and Jacksonville catcher Austin Allen made a heads-up throw to catch Oscar Colás in a rundown and turn three to escape the top of the first.

In retrospect, the chaotic triple play set the tone well for the rest of the night. The Jumbo Shrimp put up a four spot in the second frame and soon jumped out to a 6-2 lead after three innings, thanks to three home runs.

There were more fireworks to be seen, however. In between the second and third innings, Jacksonville held a wedding ceremony for fans Amy and Wes, who officially tied the knot right on the grass of 121 Financial Ballpark. As the saying goes, how can you not be romantic about baseball?

how can you not be romantic about baseball?!
Congrats to the happy couple ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ceXcLMJWeU

— Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (@JaxShrimp) May 28, 2023

The Jumbo Shrimp made sure to give the happy couple a wedding day they would never forget. The club outscored the Knights 14-2 for the remainder of the game, putting up five runs in the fifth and nine runs in the eighth. Jacksonville swatted six home runs in the contest, and 17 of their runs came via the long ball.

Both big frames featured grand slams: first from shortstop Jacob Amaya, the Marlins' No. 9 prospect, who finished with two dingers on a 4-for-4, seven-RBI night, then from second baseman Charles Leblanc, who went 3-for-3 and plated all four of his RBIs with one swing of the bat.

Who knows what tomorrow will have in store in Jacksonville. We’re willing to bet it won’t be as exciting as Saturday.