MEMPHIS – Kemp Alderman and Brayden Taylor each homered during a five-run ninth inning on Thursday to power the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to an 8-4 victory over the Memphis Redbirds from AutoZone Park.
Memphis (67-56, 20-28) led 4-3 going to the ninth when the Redbirds opted to use a position player in Noah Mendlinger (0-1) to pitcht the ninth. After inducing a ground out, Mendlinger walked Deyvison De Los Santos before Alderman blasted the go-ahead home run for Jacksonville (62-59, 20-27). Matthew Etzel, who reached base five times, and Johnny Olmstead each singled. Taylor pinch-hit and crushed his first Triple-A home run to make it 8-4.
Jack Ralston, who registered the final out of the eighth, worked a perfect ninth for the Jumbo Shrimp to finish off their third consecutive win.
The Redbirds took the game’s first lead when Colton Ledbetter homered to lead off the bottom of the first.
The Jumbo Shrimp rallied in the third. Jared Serna singled and Cam Cannarella was hit by a pitch to start the inning. After a foul out, De Los Santos walked to load the bases before Alderman earned a free pass to force in a run and tie the game. Etzel then put Jacksonville in front with a two-run double.
Nolan Gorman went deep for Memphis in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 3-2.
The score remained that way until the sixth. A Thomas Saggese singled coupled with a two-base error put the leadoff man on third. Two batters later, César Prieto’s sacrifice fly evened things at three.
With the same score in the eighth, Ledbetter walked and stole second. After a ground out and strikeout, Prieto’s two-out single put Memphis in front at 4-3.
Jacksonville vies for a series win in Friday’s 8:05 p.m. ET contest. RHP Bradley Blalock (3-8, 5.58 ERA) starts for the Jumbo Shrimp against Redbirds RHP Brandt Thompson (2-1, 4.53 ERA). Coverage begins at 7:50 p.m. ET on ESPN 690AM and www.ESPN690.com.
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.