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SL1 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

Hager Homers Shuckers Past Shrimp, 6-3

June 9, 2018 - Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Biloxi Shuckers shortstop Jake Hager hit a pair of home runs to help his team rally from a 3-1 deficit for a 6-3 victory and second straight comeback win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, who wore '90s Night fauxback jerseys auctioned during the game that had 6,861 at Saturday Fireworks at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

Jumbo Shrimp left fielder Peter O'Brien homered to left field in a career-best fourth straight game to give Jacksonville (25-35) a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning against Biloxi right-hander Cody Ponce (3-4). Biloxi (37-25) answered in the top of the third inning, when Shuckers All-Star left fielder Troy Stokes Jr. hit a game-tying home run to left field off Jacksonville All-Star right-hander Nick Neidert (6-4).

Jacksonville retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning against Ponce. Shortstop Mason Davis hit a one-out single to right field and went to third base when center fielder Cade Gotta hit a two-out single to right field. Gotta stole second base - his Southern League-best 17th steal - before second baseman Isan Diaz hit a go-ahead, two-run single to left field.

With a 3-1 lead, Neidert allowed a sixth-inning leadoff single to Stokes, and a fielder's choice put second baseman Keston Hiura at first base. Shuckers third baseman Lucas Erceg hit a two-out RBI triple to left-center field, and Hager hit a go-ahead, two-run home run to left field off Neidert, who allowed a season-high four earned runs on seven hits and one walk with six strikeouts in six innings. Left-hander Miguel Del Pozo pitched a perfect seventh. Right-hander Zech Lemond went the final two innings, allowing Erceg's sacrifice fly and Hager's second home run in the eighth inning to make it 6-3.

After Ponce allowed three earned runs on four hits and one walk with four strikeouts in five innings, right-hander Luis Ortiz began the sixth inning with a 4-3 lead. He retired the first seven batters and did not allow a hit until Davis' two-out single in the ninth inning, working the final four scoreless innings with one walk and one hit batter to record his second save.

UP NEXT: The Jumbo Shrimp continue their series with Biloxi at 3:05 p.m. Sunday, when Jacksonville right-hander Merandy Gonzalez (0-1) is scheduled to face Shuckers All-Star right-hander Zack Brown (5-0). Gates open at 2 p.m., when families can play catch on the field, followed by player autographs as part of Baptist Health Sunday Family FUNday. Kids activities will be in the Wolfson Children's Hospital Kids Zone, and following the game, kids 12 and under can run the bases. Princess Day will include princesses greeting fans around the ballpark. For Autism Awareness Day, Making Strides for Autism, Inc., will have a sensory tent in the Legends of Jacksonville Baseball Wall of Fame hall (street-level, third base side of the stadium), provided at no cost to ballpark guests. The game is presented by Easy 102.9.

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