DURHAM, N.C. – Bradley Blalock fanned a career-high 12 batters and Jesús Bastidas lashed three hits and drove in three on Saturday to lead the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to a 7-3 win over the Durham Bulls from Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Blalock (1-2) gave up a two-out home run to Homer Bush Jr. in the first inning before retiring the next 15 batters. He struck out seven in a row at one point and finished with a career-high 12 punchouts – his first career double-digit strikeout game. He yielded just three runs on two hits with one walk in 6.0 innings.
Jacksonville (16-16) finally got on the board in the fourth. With one out, Ethan O’Donnell and Andrew Pintar each singled and Johnny Olmstead walked to load the bases against Durham (11-21) reliever Logan Workman (0-4). Bastidas then blooped a single to right, plating a pair. After a foul out, Bastidas stole second. Jacob Berry registered a two-run single to put the Jumbo Shrimp ahead 4-1.
Blalock’s run of 15 consecutive batters retired came to an end with a two-out walk to Raynel Delgado in the sixth. Gavin Lux followed by blasting a two-run home run to pull the Bulls within one.
The Jumbo Shrimp responded in the seventh. A Kemp Alderman single, error and O’Donnell walk loaded the bases. After a 5-2-3 double play, Olmstead notched a two-run since and stole second. He scored on a Bastidas RBI base knock to set the final margin at 7-3.
Jacksonville bids for a series win in Sunday’s 1:05 p.m. finale. RHP Ryan Gusto (2-2, 5.19 ERA) starts for the Jumbo Shrimp against Bulls RHP Aaron Brooks (0-0, 12.27 ERA). Coverage begins at 12:50 p.m. on ESPN 690 AM and www.ESPN690.com.
ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins and compete in the International League. The 2025 International League and Triple-A National Champions, the Jumbo Shrimp call VyStar Ballpark home for baseball but also a wide variety of additional community focused events with a goal of providing Affordable, Family, FUN to Northeast Florida. Winners of many marketing and sales awards and recognition since the team was rebranded prior to the 2017 season, the Jumbo Shrimp continually lead the state of Florida in attendance across all minor league professional sports organizations.