Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp: Game Notes, July 11 vs. Mississippi
July 11, 2019 - Southern League (SL) - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp open up a six-game series against the Mississippi Braves in Thursday's 7:05 p.m. contest from the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. Fans can enjoy $1 12 oz. and $24 oz. Budweiser products at the canopy near the Jacksonville Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Arlington Trail Rated Territory, Oasis concession stand behind Section 115 and right field bleachers, respectively. On Touch a Truck Night presented by Ring Power, kids have the opportunity to view, sit on and interact with heavy machinery and construction equipment. The Jumbo Shrimp will also celebrate captains for Calling All Captains.
JACKSONVILLE FALLS 7-2 IN MOBILE
Riley Mahan and J.C. Millan each collected a pair of hits on Monday, but the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp dropped a 7-2 contest at the Mobile BayBears. Erick Salcedo's RBI single in the second inning put Mobile ahead 1-0. Julian Leon added an RBI double in the third, and Jhoan Urena did the same in the fifth to make it 3-0. Billy Fleming scored on a wild pitch in the sixth inning for Jacksonville's first run. However, the BayBears responded in the bottom of the sixth; A Jahmai Jones single and Jumbo Shrimp error plated three runs for Mobile. Later in the frame, Urena singled in Jones to increase the advantage to 7-1. Joe Dunand notched an RBI base knock in the ninth to get to within 7-2.
'PEN PALS
The Jumbo Shrimp bullpen finally saw their scoreless innings streak come to an end at 21 in the ninth inning on July 5 at Mobile. That roll came right on the heels of a 14-frame scoreless streak that was snapped with an unearned run on Sunday. Thus, Jacksonville relievers went 36 frames in a row without yielding an earned run. Over the last 25 games, Jumbo Shrimp relief pitchers have tossed 87.0 innings with just 11 runs, 10 earned, for a 1.03 ERA. During this 25-game span, the Jumbo Shrimp's bullpen has collectively surrendered just 47 hits (4.9 H/9) while whiffing 93 (9.6 K/9) against 25 walks (2.6 BB/9). A big part of the success for Jacksonville relief pitchers has been their ability to retire first batters; on the season, the club's bullpen has retired 74.6 percent of first batters faced, several ticks above the baseball-wide average that hovers around 70 percent.
THE BALLAD OF BILLY THE KID
The Miami Marlins signed free agent infielder Billy Fleming to a minor league contract on June 3 and assigned him to Jacksonville. After just two games with the Jumbo Shrimp, Fleming spent 16 contests with Triple-A New Orleans before returning on June 25 to Jacksonville. A native of Churchville, Pa., Fleming has batted an extraordinary 18-for-49 in the 13 games since rejoining the Jumbo Shrimp, slashing .367/.426/.592 with five doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, five walks and 13 runs scored. Since Fleming returned to Jacksonville, he ranks fifth in the Southern League in OPS (1.021), average and on-base percentage and sixth in slugging.
PITCH (ALMOST) PERFECT
Jacksonville went into play on June 13 with a woeful 25-41 (.379) record. The Jumbo Shrimp have gone 14-9 (.609) since that point behind some dominant pitching. In the 23 games since June 13, Jacksonville has surrendered the fewest hits (162) and runs (75) of any Double-A club. The Jumbo Shrimp also place third in Double-A in batting average against (.217), third in WHIP (1.11), sixth in ERA (3.10), tied for sixth in walks (63) and tied for 10th in strikeouts (210).
NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE
Jacksonville infielder Joe Dunand came into play on June 9 with a dormant season batting line of .209/.275/.262. However, in the 27 games since then, the Miami native is for 30-for-97 at the plate, slashing a robust .309/.385/.454 with nine doubles, one triple, one home run, seven RBIs and 11 walks. A product of N.C. State, Dunand has dropped his strikeout percentage from 29.7 percent with Jacksonville in 2018 to 22.5 percent this year. However, in a not necessarily encouraging trend, his ground ball rate has shot up from 32.4 to 44.2 percent.
FLORIDA MAHAN
Jumbo Shrimp infielder Riley Mahan entered play on July 4 in Mobile on a huge slump at the plate. The Milford, Ohio native was just 2-for-24 (.083) in the previous seven games, dropping his batting line with Jacksonville to .208/.255/.375. Mahan has responded with a huge series against Mobile, hitting 10-for-20 (.500) in five contests against the BayBears and blasting three doubles and one home run to drive in three runs. In 18 games so far on the season with the Jumbo Shrimp, Mahan is posting a career-high 41.3 percent fly ball rate, and, perhaps not coincidentally, a career-best .206 ISO.
SHRIMP SKEWERS
Jacksonville is just 18-32 (.360) when facing off against clubs from the South Division this season. Starting with this six-game series against Mississippi, 31 of the Jumbo Shrimp's last 50 games will come against either Biloxi, Mobile, Pensacola or the M-Braves... Over his last four starts, right-hander Jorge Guzman, who starts in Thursday's series opener, has posted a 5.64 ERA (14 ER in 22.1 IP, 20 H, 11 BB, 19 K).
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Southern League Stories from July 11, 2019
- Gausman Deals Quality Start in Extra-Inning Win - Mississippi Braves
- Big Inning for Biloxi Delivers Series-Opening Win - Biloxi Shuckers
- Smokies Clobber Mobile in Series Opener - Tennessee Smokies
- Biscuits Bury Wahoos, 9-2 - Montgomery Biscuits
- Six Straight: Generals Run Win Streak to Six Games with 8-4 Victory - Jackson Generals
- Jacksonville Drops Series Opener in 10 Innings to M-Braves - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Lookouts Collapse with 5th Inning Rally at Biloxi - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Barons Downed by Generals in Series Opener - Birmingham Barons
- Southern League MVP Corey Ray Added to Shuckers Roster - Biloxi Shuckers
- Blue Wahoos Add Two Former Big Leaguers to Roster - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Biloxi Shuckers Homestand Highlights July 11-16 - Biloxi Shuckers
- Vigil to Jacksonville, Nieto to Jupiter, Sanchez Returns - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp: Game Notes, July 11 vs. Mississippi - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Kevin Gausman to M-Braves, Ender Inciarte to Gwinnett - Mississippi Braves
- Generals Gameday: July 11 vs. Birmingham - Jackson Generals
- Jumbo Shrimp Ranked Among MiLB's Top 25 in Licensed Merchandise Sales for Second Straight Year - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
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