Hulsizer Slams Bulls Past Shrimp 6-2 For Sixth Straight Victory

Bulls left fielder Niko Hulsizer smashed a grand slam, while second baseman Vidal Brujan clubbed three hits and drove in two runs as Durham earned their sixth straight win with a 6-2 victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in front of a paid attendance of 9,394 on Saturday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

After the Bulls got on the board first in the third via an RBI groundout, Hulsizer crushed his bases-loaded blast in the subsequent frame to make it 5-0. Brujan would later extend the advantage to six, capping the five-run frame by bashing an RBI double to the left-field wall. Jacksonville in the sixth would narrow the margin to 6-2, however were unable to score from that point on.

Brujan (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI) recorded a game-high three knocks, with Hulsizer (2-4, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI), RF Ruben Cardenas (2-4, R, 2B) and CF Kameron Misner (2-4, R, 2 2B) adding multi-hit efforts. Hulsizer’s grand slam was the first hit by a Bulls player this season, with Durham’s last bases-loaded homer hit by OF Luke Raley on September 22, 2022 versus Norfolk at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Bulls reliever Luis Patino (1.0 IP, SO) earned the victory with a scoreless inning in support of starter Yonny Chirinos (3.0 IP, H, BB, 5 SO). Jumbo Shrimp southpaw Devin Smeltzer (3.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, BB, 5 SO) suffered the defeat.

The two teams are set to conclude their seven-game set on Sunday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 5:05pm. LHP Jacob Lopez is anticipated to get the nod for Durham, with Jacksonville expected to send RHP Ronald Bolanos to the hill.

Tickets for that game and all 2023 Durham Bulls home games are available, and can be purchased at DurhamBulls.com, or by calling 919.956.BULL.