Gamel Blasts Bulls Past Jumbo Shrimp 8-5

Bulls first baseman Ben Gamel crushed two home runs and right fielder Kameron Misner clubbed three extra-base hits, including two triples, while third baseman Curtis Mead and shortstop Tristan Gray also bashed big flies in Durham’s 8-5 victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Monday evening at 121 Financial Ballpark.

Mead went deep with a solo shot in the opening frame, while Gray smashed his solo blast in the second to make it 2-0. The Jumbo Shrimp would then answer with a run of their own in the second and go ahead with a three-run third frame, before extending their lead to 5-2 with a single tally in the fourth.

Misner then narrowed the deficit with an RBI triple in the fifth before Gamel’s game-tying two-run homer in the sixth. 2B Osleivis Basabe’s two-run single one inning later would put the Bulls ahead again at 7-5 prior to Gamel leaving the yard for the second time with a solo homer to right in the eighth.

Misner (3-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 1 RBI) pace the Bulls order with his three knocks, while Gamel (2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI) and Mead (2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI) each posted multi-hit efforts as well in the victory. Since being activated from the Injured List, Mead has recorded seven hits in his 14 at-bats, adding two doubles, one triple and one longball.

Bulls reliever Ryan Thompson (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB) earned the victory with two scoreless innings of support, while Trevor Brigden (2.0 IP, 3 SO) notched the save. Jacksonville righty Geoff Hartlieb (2.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) suffered the defeat.

Durham returns home to Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Tuesday, July 4 to start a six-game series versus the Norfolk Tides, the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. First pitch for that contest is scheduled for 6:35pm.

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.