Gray Bashes Bulls to 7-6 Extra-Inning Walk off Win over Tides
September 22, 2022 – International League (IL) – Durham Bulls News Release
DURHAM, NC – Bulls third baseman Tristan Gray smashed three hits, including a game-winning extra-inning two-run home run, his International League leading thirty second longball of the year, to lead Durham to a 7-6 win over the Norfolk Tides in ten innings on Thursday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. With the win, the Bulls continue to lead the International League East Division by one and a half games with six games left to play.
Heading into the last of the tenth trailing by one, Gray stepped in with one out and the tying run base and crushed a 1-2 offering over the left-center field wall to give Durham the victory. The home run was Gray’s International League leading 32nd home run of the season, as well as the Bulls’ 200th overall in 2022.
Durham took the early 1-0 advantage in the opening frame courtesy of 1B Luke Raley’s RBI single. Norfolk would then plate two In the fifth before plating another tally in the sixth to go up 3-1, though the Bulls answered with a three-spot in the last of the sixth via RBI singles from DH Josh Lowe and RF Ruben Cardenas, as well as a sacrifice fly by CF Bligh Madris, to go up 4-3. Both teams would trade single scores in the seventh, with Raley driving in his second run of the evening with another run-scoring single, though the Tides forced the extra frame with another run in the eighth.
Gray (3-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI) led all batters with his three hits, while Raley (2-5, 1 R, 2 RBI) recorded a two-hit effort as well. LF Grant Witherspoon did not collect a hit, snapping his hit streak at 12 games.
Bulls reliever Chris Muller (2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO) earned the victory, while Norfolk righty Morgan McSweeney (0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 R) suffered the defeat. Durham starter Taj Bradley (5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO) did not factor in the final decisions after yielding two earned runs over five frames.
The Bulls are set to continue their final homestand of the year with Norfolk on Friday night, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm. RHP Tyler Glasnow is slated to start for Durham and be opposed by RHP Chris Vallimont.
Tickets for all remaining 2022 Bulls home contests are still available and can be purchased at DurhamBulls.com.
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