JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp dropped their series opener to the Syracuse Mets 6-3 behind a four-homer effort from the Mets Tuesday night at VyStar Ballpark.
Syracuse (56-58,18-21) opened the scoring against Jacksonville (57-56, 15-24) starter Brandon White (L, 3-6) in the top of the second inning. A one-out walk to Ryan Clifford brought up MJ Melendez, who tripled to the right-center alley to plate Clifford and put the Mets up 1-0.
The Jumbo Shrimp tied the game in the bottom of the second on a one-out solo blast from Bennett Hostetler (4).
From there, Syracuse hit four home runs across the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
In the third, Melendez (12) yanked a solo home run to lift Syracuse ahead 2-1. Following a leadoff single for Hayden Senger in the fourth, Vidal Bruján turned around a two-run homer to build a 4-1 advantage. Solo shots from Andy Ibáñez (4) in the sixth and Nick Morabito (11) to lead off the seventh set up a 6-1 lead.
Jacksonville loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth when Cam Cannarella and Jonathon Long reached on errors, and Etzel walked. Syracuse summoned Austin Warren (W, 3-1) from the bullpen, and he struck out the side to preserve the Mets’ lead.
The Jumbo Shrimp took two runs back in the seventh when Long singled to open the frame and Kemp Alderman (16) sent a two-run longball to right to bring the deficit down to 6-3.
Zach Peek (SV, 1) tossed a two-inning save while limiting Jacksonville to one hit over the eighth and ninth innings.
The series continues Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. with Jacksonville southpaw Patrick Monteverde (3-2, 6.15) scheduled to start on the mound opposite Syracuse right-hander Jack Wenninger (4-7, 4.33)
Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on Bally Live, MLB.tv, MiLB.tv, ESPN 690 and espn690.com.
Gates open at 6:00 p.m. and can enjoy the Grip it and Rip it ticket package with a dugout reserved seat plus a sealed pack of Topps Series 2 baseball cards (More Info). The Jumbo Shrimp and Jacksonville Humane Society will raise awareness and funds throughout the game through tickets sales and promotions for Charity Begins at Home. On a Wear it Home Wednesday, presented by Prime Shrimp & Ambetter Health, the first 500 people through the Main Gate on Georgia St. will receive a "Be a Simple Kind of Shrimp" t-shirts (**1 giveaway per person, NOT per ticket** *** Giveaways only available when entering at the Main Gate on Georgia St.). The Jumbo Shrimp will also celebrate the music of Lynryd Skynryd all night with our A Shrimple Man promotion.
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.