Wahoos Stop The Jumbo Shrimp 1-0

July 31, 2019

On a night when Jacksonville’s stadium was virtually empty, the scoreboard was filled with zeroes, the Blue Wahoos reversed the previous game’s storyline with their 1-0 win against the Jumbo Shrimp.

Only two fans, Josh Ribeiro Sr. and his son Josh Ribeiro Jr., watched the game in a special partnership with Dreams Come True of Jacksonville. It is a wish granting organization and the wish Josh Ribeiro Jr. wanted.

Like any other game, The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville was staffed with concessions, food and drink vendors walking the ballpark, team promotion staff and the press box.

But only the Ribeiros were in the stands.

The official attendance was listed at 2 in the recorded box score, setting a Southern League all-time record. In this case, however, it was by design.

The special game experience, entitled “Literal 2 For Tuesday,” was sponsored by Community First Credit Union of Jacksonville and the Dreams Come True foundation.

The Blue Wahoos’ win, one night after a 1-0 loss, clinched the team’s first road series win since May 15 when the Blue Wahoos won three of five games against the Chattanooga Lookouts, now the Cincinnati Reds affiliate. The Blue Wahoos (57-51 overall) and Jumbo Shrimp (50-58) conclude their series Wednesday night.

The Ribeiros watched both teams’ pitching staffs dominate for a second consecutive night.

The Blue Wahoos’ Edwar Colina, making his third start since being promoted from Advance-A Fort Myers Miracle on July 11, had his second consecutive outing without allowing a run.

Colina (2-0) worked 5.2 innings, giving up just three hits, one walk and striking out seven batters to earn a second straight win. He’s now pitched 12.2 scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 1.08.

Colina was followed by relievers Gabriel Moya, who earned his second hold, and Alex Phillips, who picked up his third save. The duo combined for 3.1 perfect innings, facing the minimum 10 batters.

Moya struck out former Blue Wahoos star Lewin Diaz to end the sixth inning with Jacksonville’s Anfernee Seymour stranded at third base.

Diaz, traded Saturday to the Miami Marlins organization in a deal that sent Marlins’ veteran major league reliever Sergio Romo to the Minnesota Twins, continued to struggle since switching dugouts in Jacksonville.  Diaz went 0-for-4 and has not had a hit since joining the Jumbo Shrimp.

In the ninth inning, Phillips struck out Diaz for the game’s final out.

The game’s only run was provided by Blue Wahoos’ first baseman Ryan Costello, who smashed a one-out, solo homer in the fifth inning. The Blue Wahoos were held to four hits, Jacksonville had three in an identical box score reversal from Monday’s game.

Trevor Larnach, Jimmy Kerrigan and Jordan Gore had the Blue Wahoos’ other three hits, all singles.

The Jumbo Shrimp received outstanding games from starter Kolton Mahoney (4-1), who went six complete innings, allowing the three hits, three walks and striking out four, along with relievers Jordan Guerrero and Chad Smith, who allowed just one hit, one walk in the last three innings.

The Blue Wahoos win, coupled by the Biloxi Shuckers’ loss Tuesday, moved Pensacola (19-19 second half) to within four games in the second half chase in the South Division. The Blue Wahoos lead the Mississippi Braves by 4.5 games in the overall standings for second-best record.

If Biloxi wins both half-season division crowns, the second-best team makes the playoffs.

The Blue Wahoos will open a five-game homestand Thursday against the Birmingham Barons, the Chicago White Sox affiliate, who are battling for the North Division title, trailing the Montgomery Biscuits.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports, TOP sports