Stripers Break Out to Back Rangel’s First Triple-A Win

Fuentes, Guthrie, Sanchez all with multi-RBI efforts in 9-4 victory at Jacksonville

Alan Rangel earned the first win of his Triple-A career on Thursday in Jacksonville, doing so in just his third appearance. (Josh Conner)

By Dave Lezotte (@davelezotte)

September 14, 2023

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Alan Rangel settled down after three early runs for 5.0 solid innings in his first Triple-A win, and six different players drove in runs as the Gwinnett Stripers (66-73) defeated the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (68-72) 9-4 on Thursday night at 121 Financial Ballpark. Decisive Plays: Jacob Amaya’s

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Alan Rangel settled down after three early runs for 5.0 solid innings in his first Triple-A win, and six different players drove in runs as the Gwinnett Stripers (66-73) defeated the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (68-72) 9-4 on Thursday night at 121 Financial Ballpark.

Decisive Plays: Jacob Amaya’s two-run home run (14) and sacrifice fly helped Jacksonville open a 3-1 lead against Rangel through three innings, but Rangel didn’t allow a run over his final two frames. In the fifth, an RBI single by Jesus Aguilar and two-run single by Dalton Guthrie gave Gwinnett a 4-3 lead. Justin Dean belted an opposite-field solo homer (3) to right to make it 5-3 in the sixth, and a two-run double by Joshua Fuentes in the seventh and two-run single by Yolmer Sanchez in the eighth stretched the lead to 9-3.

Key Contributors: Andrew Velazquez (3-for-6, double, RBI), Jesus Aguilar (2-for-4, RBI), Guthrie (2-for-3, 2 RBIs), and Dean (2-for-5, homer, RBI) all had multi-hit efforts for the Stripers. Sanchez (1-for-2, 2 RBIs) and Fuentes (1-for-4, double, 2 RBIs) added multi-RBI games. Rangel (W, 1-0) went 5.0 innings with three runs on six hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. For Jacksonville, Jake Mangum finished a homer shy of the cycle (3-for-5, double, triple) and Amaya went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs.

Noteworthy: Vaughn Grissom, in his first game back off the Injured List, went 1-for-6 with a single to extend his on-base streak to 42 games and his hitting streak to 14 games. The on-base streak is tied for the second-longest in the International League this year. Atlanta Braves’ right-hander Jesse Chavez (H, 1) struck out the side in order in the sixth, his second rehab appearance with Gwinnett. All three of Dean’s Triple-A homers have come against Jacksonville.

Next Game (Friday, September 15**):** Gwinnett at Jacksonville, 7:05 p.m. at 121 Financial Ballpark. Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. on 1077TheBreeze.com (high school football airing on MyCountry993.com).

Next Home Game (Tuesday, September 19): Gwinnett vs. Durham, 7:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. on MyCountry993.com and Bally Live. It’s Family Value Tuesday (presented by Coolray Heating & Cooling), with $2 hot dogs and $1 desserts.