Bulls Fall To Memphis In Season Finale, 8-6

The Durham Bulls fell to the Memphis Redbirds 8-6 in the regular season finale at Auto Zone Park on Sunday, but Jake Mangum became the first Bulls’ hitter to win the league batting title in five years.

Memphis (36-37, 73-74) scored six times in the first inning against Durham starter Cole Wilcox (L, 3-3) in winning the final three games of the series. Wilcox permitted six earned runs over four frames. Joel Kuhnel surrendered six hits and two runs over 2 2/3 innings. Erasmo Ramirez recorded the final out of the seventh, with Justin Sterner pitching a perfect eighth with two strikeouts.

Mangum went 2-3 with a single and a double to close the campaign at .317, becoming Durham’s first batting champion since Jake Cronenworth hit .334 in 2019. Jonathan Aranda finished runner-up in both 2022 and 2023. Memphis’ Matt Koperniak went 0-4 on Sunday to close at .309, while Charlotte’s Mark Payton went 0-2 before being lifted for a pinch-hitter to finish at .309.

Curtis Mead went 4-5, while Osleivis Basabe and CJ Hinojosa each homered in the finale for Durham (36-39, 72-78). Basabe’s was a three-run shot in the third inning. Mangum collected his 30^th double and 20^th steal of the season.