JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Heriberto Hernández provided the comeback theatrics with a walk-off hit for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Wednesday afternoon at VyStar Ballpark in an 7-6 win over the Charlotte Knights.
With the game tied at six in the bottom of the ninth, Agustín Ramírez and Deyvison De Los Santos provided one-out singles to set up Hernández, who crushed what was initially believed to be a walk-off three run home run off Charlotte (17-18) relief pitcher Riley Gowens (L, 1-1). Upon further review, Hernandez was later ruled out due to being physically assisted by a teammate as he made his way to home plate. The game-winning hit was officially determined to be a walk-off RBI double, with Hernandez out at home, De Los Santos scoring, and Ramírez advancing to third.
Jacksonville (18-17) relief pitcher Tyler Zuber (W, 1-0) earned the win after tossing 1.1 innings and stranding the potential go-ahead run at third base in the top of the ninth.
Charlotte drew first blood in the top of the fifth inning against Jacksonville starting pitcher Patrick Monteverde. After Caden Connor reached on a fielder’s choice, Dru Baker (3) launched a two-run home run to give the Knights a 2-0 lead.
The Knights continued their longball play in the top of the sixth when LaMonte Wade Jr. (4) took Josh White deep to right field, pushing the advantage to 3-0.
Jacksonville responded with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to take their first lead of the game. Against Charlotte reliever Lucas Sims, Ramírez and De Los Santos walked, leading to Hernández bringing around De Los Santos with an RBI single. Ramírez and Hernández later scored on separate wild pitches. After Kemp Alderman walked, Johnny Olmstead provided an RBI single to bring Alderman around and lift the Jumbo Shrimp to a 4-3 lead.
The Knights snatched the lead back in the top of the eighth with a three-run frame. After Braden Montgomery singled and Jacob Gonzalez slapped an automatic double, an error brought in Montgomery to tie the game at four. Two batters later, Connor blooped a two-run single to shallow left-center. Charlotte left the top of the eighth holding a 6-4 lead.
The Jumbo Shrimp roared back yet again in the bottom of the eighth thanks to two-out rally. Acosta walked and advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw by Gowens. Olmstead (2) stepped up next and crushed a game-tying two-run homer to square the game up at six runs apiece.
Hernández’s walk-off one inning later is the first for a Jumbo Shrimp player in 2026.
The series continues Thursday with left-hander Thomas White (0-0, 2.13) on the mound for Jacksonville opposite Charlotte righty Duncan Davitt (0-1, 7.16). Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on Bally Live, MLB.tv, MiLB.tv, ESPN 690 and espn690.com with first pitch Thursday set for 7:05 p.m.
Gates open at 6 p.m. and fans can enjoy Love at First Pitch speed dating and Thirsty Thursday presented by Coors Light with $2 16-oz. drafts and $3 24-oz. drafts at various locations throughout the ballpark.
ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins and compete in the International League. The 2025 International League and Triple-A National Champions, the Jumbo Shrimp call VyStar Ballpark home for baseball but also a wide variety of additional community focused events with a goal of providing Affordable, Family, FUN to Northeast Florida. Winners of many marketing and sales awards and recognition since the team was rebranded prior to the 2017 season, the Jumbo Shrimp continually lead the state of Florida in attendance across all minor league professional sports organizations.