Jackson, Rock Lead Bulls Past Shrimp, 6-4

Alex Jackson and Kameron Misner each hit two-run homers in the third inning to propel the Durham Bulls past the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 6-4 on Wednesday night at the DBAP before 2,742 fans.

After never having led during Tuesday’s home-opening loss to the Shrimp (2-3), the Bulls (2-3) played from the lead all night after posting a five-run third against Shrimp starter Darren McCaughan. Tristan Peters began the uprising with a one-out double ahead of Misner’s opposite-field home run over the Blue Monster in left to give the Bulls a 2-0 lead. Osleivis Basabe reached on an infield single, then scored on a double from Logan Driscoll. Jackson followed with a two-run homer to give Durham a 5-0 advantage.

Joe Rock was solid in his organizational debut after being acquired by the Tampa Bay Rays from Colorado two weeks ago. Rock fanned six across four innings, yielding only back-to-back solo homers in the Jacksonville fourth. Carlos Garcia (W, 1-0) notched the win in relief with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, with Manuel Rodriguez (S, 1) recording the final five outs for the save.  Rodriguez fanned former Duke Blue Devils outfielder Griffin Conine to end the game with the tying runs in scoring position.

The Durham pitching staff combined to whiff 16 Shrimp batters.

Jackson finished 2-4 with a home run and double, while Ruben Cardenas was 2-4 with an insurance-run RBI in the last of the eighth.

Durham’s six-game homestand continues Thursday, April 6th at 6:35 PM ET against the Jumbo Shrimp. Mason Montgomery is expected to start for Durham opposite former Bulls and Rays right-hander Yonni Chirinos.