Dunand blasts solo homer for sixth longball of season
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Durham Bulls got out of the gates quickly Wednesday night, scoring five runs in the first four innings on their way to a 5-1 victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp at 121 Financial Ballpark.
The Jumbo Shrimp (58-46) tallied just seven baserunners in the ballgame despite holding Durham (67-36) to just one hit after the fourth inning.
The Bulls got out to an early lead in the first inning. Vidal Brujan led off the ballgame with a single to left-center and Nathan Lukes followed with a single to center. Josh Lowe then laid down a bunt single, and an error allowed Brujan to score. Later in the inning, Lukes would come in on a sacrifice fly from Esteban Quiroz to put the Bulls ahead, 2-0.
Durham doubled their lead in the third inning. Lowe doubled with one out, and Dalton Kelly followed with an opposite field two-run home run, his 25th of the season and fourth in as many games, off Jacksonville starter Nick Neidert (6-2) to push the lead to 4-0.
In the fourth, Lukes singled home Miles Mastrobuoni, who had led off the inning with a single to make it a 5-0 Durham advantage.
Jacksonville got their lone run in the sixth inning on a leadoff solo homer from Joe Dunand off of Tobias Myers (win, 2-2) to make it 5-1.
Preston Guilmet and Tommy Eveld each tossed two scoreless innings in relief, combining to strike out six and yield only three baserunners in relief.
Game three of the series will get underway Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. from 121 Financial Ballpark. It’s Budweiser Thirsty Thursday, in which fans can purchase $2 (12 oz. draft) and $3 (24 oz. draft) Budweiser products on the left field berm canopy, Oasis concession stand, and right field bleachers.
Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on ESPN 690 and online at espn690.com, MiLB.tv, and on the MiLB First Pitch app.
ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp offer affordable family fun at 121 Financial Ballpark. Their inaugural season garnered the Southern League’s Don Mincher Organization of the Year, Promotional Trophy and Jimmy Bragan Executive of the Year, won by general manager Harold Craw. The club added its second Promotional Trophy in three years following the 2019 season. The 2021 season marks the return of Triple-A baseball in Jacksonville. To experience the excitement with the terrific value of ticket and group options, call the Jumbo Shrimp at (904) 358-2846 or visit www.jaxshrimp.com.
