Shrimp Bites: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp vs. Durham Bulls series preview, June 21-26
The Jumbo Shrimp return home to face the Durham Bulls for six games from Tuesday, June 21 through Sunday, June 26. Here's what to know about the series:
Who: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp vs. Durham Bulls.
When: Tuesday through Sunday.
T: 7:05 p.m.
W: 12:05 p.m.
TH: 7:05 p.m.
F: 7:05 p.m.
SA: 6:35 p.m.
SU: 3:05 p.m.
Where: 121 Financial Ballpark, Jacksonville.
Series recap: Despite Sunday's 13-11 loss, the Jumbo Shrimp collected another series victory, taking four of six games against the Charlotte Knights. At 36-30, they're a game and a half behind the International League East-leading Buffalo Bisons, with a chance to climb from third place to the top depending on the outcome of this series.
Highlight: Ninth-inning go-ahead home runs are automatic contenders for highlight of the week honors, and Demetrius Sims delivered one for the Jumbo Shrimp on Friday. With two strikes and two outs, the Jumbo Shrimp outfielder blasted a solo home run to push Jacksonville to a 4-3 victory.
Crustacean sensation: The Jumbo Shrimp offense lit up the diamond this week with 44 runs, and Bryson Brigman has been among the catalysts. Not so long ago, Brigman was mired in a deep slump, sporting a .138 batting average entering May 20, but he's red-hot right now with an eight-game hitting streak. Brigman is batting 14 for 37 (.378) in that span, and in June, he has five doubles, three triples and three home runs to go with a .352 average and a 1.024 OPS. He's raised his season batting average by more than 100 points, to .247, within the past month.
On deck: Is the premier prospect in baseball making a return trip to the First Coast? Although the Tampa Bay Rays haven't yet made the roster move as of press time Monday, Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters late last week that Wander Franco is expected to stop in Jacksonville as part of a rehab assignment after a quadriceps strain. The 21-year-old, batting .270 with four home runs and 19 RBI prior to his injury, also appeared in Jacksonville for Durham last year before his promotion to the American League East club. Durham's lineup also includes two more of the top 10 Rays prospects: infielder Xavier Edwards (.343, two home runs, 11 RBI, .909 OPS) and outfielder Josh Lowe (.299, six home runs, 35 RBI, .922 OPS). Fans may not have much time to catch Franco; if rehab goes as planned, the Rays expect him to return to the big league club by the weekend.
Ballpark fun: It's an active week for sights and sounds at 121 Financial Balpark. That means fireworks on Friday and Saturday, as well as the ear-splitting Cathartic Scream Night on Friday when fans across the ballpark are asked to join together in a giant, cacophonous collective shout ahead of the seventh-inning stretch. Also on the agenda: the first-ever Purr in the Park on Tuesday, when cats on a leash or in a carrier can enter free with a human ticket; Summer Camp Day on Wednesday afternoon; and Halloween in June on Thursday, including costumes and a candy corn-eating contest.
Probable pitchers Tuesday: To be determined.
Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp-Durham Bulls baseball series preview, June 21
