Five-run ninth inning spurs Jacksonville

DURHAM, N.C. – Tristan Gray homered for the fourth game in a row, José Devers added a three-run shot and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp scored five runs in the ninth inning Friday to beat the Durham Bulls 9-6 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

With the score deadlocked at four, Durham (2-5) reliever Colby White (0-1) walked Will Banfield, Jhonny Pereda and Devers to begin the ninth inning. After a strikeout, he issued a free pass to Griffin Conine to force in the go-ahead run. Dane Myers then added an RBI ground out before a strikeout coupled with a passed ball allowed Gray to reach and Devers to score, making it 7-4. Following another walk, Troy Johnston laced a two-run single to widen the gap to 9-4.

In the bottom of the ninth, Jacksonville (4-3) reliever Anthony Maldonado (2-0) yielded a one-out single to Osleivis Basabe. Following a fly out, Tristan Peters walked before the Bulls collected consecutive RBI base hit from C.J. Hinojosa and Rob Brantly to pull to within 9-6. However, Maldonado induced Jake Mangum to fly out to center to end the ballgame.

Durham struck in their first at-bats. Kameron Misner led off with a base hit and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. He scored on Dominic Smith’s base hit to give the Bulls an early 1-0 lead.

The score remained that way until the fourth, when Gray went yard for the fourth game in a row.

The Jumbo Shrimp grabbed the lead in the fifth. Banfield and Pereda each singled to jumpstart the frame. Devers then lined a home run into the right field corner for Jacksonville’s first advantage of the evening.

The Bulls began chipping away in the sixth. Hinojosa led off with a base knock. Two batters later, Mangum drilled a two-run shot to bring Durham within one.

With the score still 4-3 in the eighth, Hinojosa and Brantly each singled with one out. Mangum then notched an RBI base hit to even the score at four.

Jacksonville bids for a series win over Durham in Saturday’s 6:35 p.m. contest. RHP Roddery Muñoz (0-1, 18.00 ERA) stars for the Jumbo Shrimp against Bulls LHP Jacob Lopez (1-0, 1.80 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:20 p.m. on http://milb.streamguys1.com/jacksonville.

ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins and compete in the International League. The team calls 121 Financial 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.