FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 4, 2026
Contact: info@durhambulls.com
Durham, NC --- Carson Williams, Jacob Melton and Blake Sabol went back-to-back-to-back
in the fifth inning as the Durham Bulls defeated the Gwinnett Stripers 7-2 before a
season-high 10,184 fans on Independence Day at the DBAP.
Leading 3-2, Williams started the early fireworks by drilling a 1-1 pitch under the Snortin' Bull
in left field to push the lead to 5-2. Melton, who had already homered in the first, laced a
home run to center on the next pitch, with Sabol yanking a home run to right-center on the
very next pitch from Anderson Pilar. When the smoke cleared, the Bulls (9-2) assumed a 7-2
lead.
Ty Johnson (W, 4-1) worked five innings, struck out nine and only permitted a two-run homer
to Brewer Hicklen in the third. Chris Roycroft, Alex Cook and Evan Reifert closed out
Durham's third straight win in the series over Gwinnett (4-7).
Tatem Levins went 3-3 with a walk to pace Durham's 12-hit attack. Melton drove in three
courtesy of his two homers.
The homestand finale is slated for Sunday at 5:05 PM ET with Mason Englert scheduled to
start opposite Drue Hackenberg.
Notes: Johnson's nine strikeouts matched his season-high for the third time this season.
Eight of his nine punchouts were on his slider... The Bulls homered on three consecutive
pitches from Pilar in the fifth inning, with all of the damage in the four-run inning coming
with two outs.... The official game-time temperature was 97 degrees with a heat index of 106.
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