Miller reaches four times but Durham walks off with win

Jacksonville falls 6-5 for fourth consecutive defeat

Brian Miller reached base four times and drove in two in Thursday's loss at Durham. (Joey Mims/Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp)

By Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

June 1, 2023

DURHAM, N.C. – Brian Miller went 3-for-3 with a double, walk, two RBIs and a run scored to help the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp erase a four-run deficit, but the Durham Bulls walked off with a 6-5 victory Thursday from Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Bulls (31-23) led 4-2 when Jacob

DURHAM, N.C. – Brian Miller went 3-for-3 with a double, walk, two RBIs and a run scored to help the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp erase a four-run deficit, but the Durham Bulls walked off with a 6-5 victory Thursday from Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

The Bulls (31-23) led 4-2 when Jacob Amaya and Jerar Encarnacion singled to start the eighth. An error loaded the bases with nobody out. Following a strikeout, Charles Leblanc pulled the Jumbo Shrimp (23-30) to within one with an RBI ground out. Miller then laced a two-run single to give Jacksonville its first lead of the series.

However, Durham came back to tie immediately in their half of the eighth. Nick Dini singled and Jumbo Shrimp reliever Jefry Yan uncorked three wild pitches to allow him to score to tie the game.

A two-base error put Jake Mangum on second to start the ninth. Bulls reliever Luis Patiño (2-3) induced a ground out that moved Mangum to third. With the infield in, Mangum then tried to score on a grounder to short, but he was cut down at the plate to preserve the 5-5 tie.

Jacksonville relief pitcher Johan Quezada (2-1) entered the game in the ninth and walked Vidal Brujan, who stole second. After a fly out, consecutive walks loaded the bases. Ben Gamel then laced a single to deep center to win it for the Bulls.

Durham grabbed a lead almost immediately in the game. Brujan tripled and scored on Jonathan Aranda’s single in the first. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases with nobody out, but Jacksonville starter Jeff Lindgren got out of the jam with just one more run against, coming on a Dini sacrifice fly.

Kameron Misner drew a walk to start the second. After a pair of outs, Aranda came through with another RBI single. Gamel’s leadoff homer in the third made it 4-0.

The Jumbo Shrimp began chipping away in the fifth. Back-to-back doubles by Miller and C.J. Hinojosa put Jacksonville on the board.

In the seventh, the pair jumpstarted another rally. A Miller single and Hinojosa double put runners on second and third. Mangum’s ground out brought home Miller to slice the Bulls’ advantage to 4-2.

Jacksonville sends LHP Enmanuel De Jesus (1-0, 3.00 ERA) to the mound in Friday’s 6:35 p.m. first pitch against Bulls RHP Chris Gau (0-0, 0.00 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:20 p.m. on ESPN 690 AM and www.ESPN690.com.

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 marked 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.