LAS VEGAS — The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp captured their first-ever Triple-A National Championship in dramatic fashion on Saturday night, edging out the Las Vegas Aviators 8–7 at Las Vegas Ballpark. World Baseball Network observed the action from the press box, in front of a sold-out crowd that turned the desert atmosphere electric.
The victory capped a historic week for the Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate, which had just secured the International League championship — Jacksonville’s first league title since 1968, when a different franchise carried the city to the crown. With MLB’s new Las Vegas ballpark for the Athletics scheduled to open in 2028, fans in Nevada hope nights like this are a preview of the championship baseball soon coming to the Strip.
After falling behind 1–0 in the third inning, Jacksonville responded forcefully. They erupted for four runs off Las Vegas left-hander Ken Waldichuk, highlighted by a pair of two-run homers from Jack Winkler and Joe Mack, ranked No. 71 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list and No. 3 in the Marlins’ system.
The Jumbo Shrimp extended their lead to 6–1 in the fifth, with an RBI double from Victor Mesa Jr. and an RBI single by Jacob Berry. Las Vegas managed to chip away at the lead, scoring on a sacrifice fly in the eighth. But the real drama unfolded in the ninth inning, with the Aviators staging a furious rally in front of their home crowd.
After Denzel Clarke delivered an RBI single, Jacksonville called on left-hander Robby Snelling — Miami’s No. 4 prospect and MLB’s No. 75 overall — who had started four days earlier in the International League Finals. Snelling issued a walk to Alejo López, then induced a groundout that cut the deficit to 6–4. That brought up Bryan Lavastida, who hammered a go-ahead, three-run homer off Snelling to give Las Vegas a stunning 7–6 lead. Suddenly, the Aviators were just three outs away from a Triple-A title of their own.
Berry Delivers Walk-Off Glory
But Jacksonville wasn’t done.
Winkler led off the ninth with a single. After Mesa Jr. struck out, Jacob Berry stepped to the plate with one out and a runner on. He worked the count and then hammered a walk-off, two-run home run over the left-center field wall, securing the championship for Jacksonville in unforgettable fashion.
It was fitting that Berry delivered the game-winning blow. After a rocky first half of the season, when he posted just a .628 OPS, he rebounded with an .844 OPS in the second half. His resurgence reached its peak with Saturday night’s heroics.
Teammates mob Jacob Berry at home plate after his walk-off blast
The game will be remembered as one of the most thrilling Triple-A championship matchups in recent memory, a showcase of young talent with many expected to reach the Major Leagues by 2026. For Jacksonville, it was a night of history for the longtime minor league franchise — and one more step in cementing the city as a stage for unforgettable baseball moments.
Photo: Jacob Berry jumps past first base after blasting his walk-off home run to win the 2025 Triple-A National Championship for Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp / @jaxshrimp via Instagram
