Norwood's Walk-Off Homer Downs BayBears in 11, 3-2
Published on April 30, 2017 under Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp right fielder John Norwood hit a walk-off home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the 11th inning in a 3-2 win over the Mobile BayBears in front of 6,260 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville on a Baptist Health Sunday Family FUNday afternoon.
After kids played catch in the outfield before the game, the Jumbo Shrimp and BayBears dueled to a scoreless tie until the sixth inning. Jumbo Shrimp right-hander Joe Gunkel, a former Red Sox, Orioles and Dodgers minor league right-hander making his Miami Marlins organizational debut, started with four scoreless innings, holding the BayBears (11-13) to two outs and striking out one batter.
BayBears right-hander Jordan Kipper, who had not allowed a run his last 15 innings pitched, kept Jacksonville (10-14) off the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth inning. In a scoreless game, Jumbo Shrimp center fielder Yefri Perez doubled to left field, went to third base on right fielder Isaac Galloway's single and scored on left fielder Jeremias Pineda's RBI fielder's choice. The BayBears rallied in the next half inning, with two runs scoring on left fielder Alberto Triunfel's fly ball against right-hander Tyler Higgins that went off Pineda's glove. Left-hander James Buckelew was charged with the two unearned runs in 2 2/3 innings.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Mobile right-hander Eduardo Paredes allowed singles to Jumbo Shrimp first baseman Taylor Ard and shortstop Alex Yarbrough, walked Perez and hit Galloway with a bases-loaded, two-out pitch to force home Ard and tie the game, 2-2.
Jumbo Shrimp left-hander Greg Nappo and right-hander Ryan Beckman (1-0) each worked two scoreless innings to keep the tie into the bottom of the 11th. BayBears right-hander Eric Karch (2-2) pitched scoreless eighth, ninth and 10th innings, before Norwood launched his second home run in as many days to the left-field berm, capping a team-best three-hit day.
UP NEXT: The Jumbo Shrimp conclude their series with Mobile at 12:05 p.m. Monday, when Jacksonville left-hander Mike Kickham (0-3) is scheduled to face BayBears right-hander Jake Jewell (0-1). Gates open at 11 a.m. for the Business Person Special, which includes a 16-oz. beer or soda, a hot dog, chips and a reserved seat for $15 at the box office. VyStar Credit Union members can get a buy-3-get-1 free ticket special by showing a VyStar credit or debit card at the box office. Monday's game is also presented by First Coast News.
Southern League Stories from April 30, 2017
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