Bulls Best Shrimp 11-8, Remain On Top In East Division

Bulls third baseman Tristan Gray clubbed four hits, and catcher David Rodriguez and right fielder Grant Witherspoon each homered, while first baseman Jonathan Aranda’s clutch two-out bases-loaded single capped a six-run seventh inning as Durham defeated Jacksonville in a dramatic 11-8 victory on Sunday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. With the win, the Bulls remain in first place in the International League East Division.

Entering the bottom of the seventh down 8-5, Durham roared back with a six-run spurt to put the Bulls ahead for good in the back-and-forth affair. Gray smacked an RBI single, his fourth hit of the night, to start the rally, before Vidal Brujan’s two-run single to left evened the contest. Aranda would then come through with a clutch two-out single with the bases loaded, with three runs scoring on the play to cap the big inning.

Durham struck first with a two-spot in the opening frame courtesy of run-scoring singles from DH Manuel Margot and CF Josh Lowe. One inning later, Rodriguez ripped a solo homer to make it 3-0. Jacksonville, however, would narrow their deficit with solo shots from C Ryan Lavarnway and LF Bryan De La Cruz. Two frames later, 3B Luis Aviles Jr. would smash a solo homer of his own to make it 3-3.

Witherspoon would then wallop his two-run roundtripper in the fifth, however the Jumbo Shrimp answered right back courtesy of DH Willians Astudillo’s two-run blast in the subsequent frame. De La Cruz would then bash his second homer of the evening in the seventh to put Jacksonville ahead 6-5, before 1B Jerar Encarnacion’s two-run blast extended the advantage to three, setting up Durham’s comeback in the bottom of the frame.

Tampa Bay Rays reliever Nick Anderson (1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB, SO) earned the victory for the Bulls as part of his MLB Rehab Assignment, while southpaw Garrett Cleavinger (1.0 IP, 2 SO) notched his first save. Jumbo Shrimp reliever Robert Garcia (0.2 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, SO) suffered the defeat.

Following a league-wide off day on Monday, Durham begins a six-game road series with the Norfolk Tides, the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, August 16. First pitch of the series opener is set for 6:35pm. Starting pitchers for both teams have not been announced.

The Bulls return home to Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Tuesday, August 23 to start a six-game set versus the Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. First pitch of the series opener is slated for 6:35pm.

Tickets for that game and all remaining 2022 home dates can be purchased at DurhamBulls.com/tickets.