DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — Grayson Childers homered twice, including a two-run shot in the top of the ninth inning, to power Queens (N.C.) to an 11-7 victory over Duke on Tuesday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Childers, the Royals’ first baseman, finished 2 for 3 with three RBIs and was hit twice by pitches. His second home run, the 10th of the season, came off Duke reliever Ben Dean with one out in the ninth and extended the Royals’ lead to four runs. That proved decisive after the Blue Devils had cut the margin to two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Queens improved to 14-33, while Duke fell to 23-25. The Royals snapped a two-game losing streak and won for only the third time in their last 15 games.

The game began with a solo home run from Childers in the top of the first inning. Duke answered immediately in the bottom of the first when RJ Hamilton crushed a two-run homer, his sixth, to put the Blue Devils ahead 2-1. Michael DiMartini added a solo homer in the bottom of the second, and Duke led 3-1.

Queens struck back in the top of the third, using three hit-by-pitches, a single by Huneycutt and an error to push across two unearned runs and tie the game 3-3. Duke retook the lead in the bottom of the third when Kaden Smith launched a two-run homer, his ninth, to make it 5-3.

The Royals’ offense then erupted in the middle innings. In the top of the fifth, they loaded the bases with no outs and scored three runs on a hit-by-pitch to Marcantel, a hit-by-pitch to Schaefer and a fielder’s choice, grabbing a 6-5 lead. They added four more in the top of the sixth. Rivera scored on a wild pitch, Brown reached on an error by Hamilton that allowed another run to score, and Justin Hudson followed with a two-run homer to center field, his first of the season, to make it 10-5.

Duke refused to fold. Hamilton walked and stole two bases in the bottom of the third. Smith hit his second home run of the game, a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth, cutting the deficit to 9-6. DiMartini answered with his second homer in the bottom of the sixth, a solo shot to left field, pulling the Blue Devils within 10-7.

But Queens gained separation in the ninth. After Wong singled, Childers drove a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall for his second homer of the game, finalizing the scoring.

Duke received strong individual performances despite the loss. DiMartini went 3 for 4 with two home runs and two RBIs. Smith was 2 for 5 with two homers and three RBIs. Hamilton finished 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. The Blue Devils outhit Queens 11-9 but left eight runners on base.

Queens starter Avery Booker earned the win, pitching 6 2/3 innings, allowing no hits and two earned runs while striking out two. He entered in the bottom of the third and worked effectively, though Duke’s hits came early off previous pitchers. Dean took the loss for Duke, surrendering two runs on two hits in 2 1/3 innings of relief.

Childers has been productive in recent games. In his previous four contests, he went 3 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs against West Georgia on May 3, was hitless on May 2, and had two hits with an RBI on May 1. He had also gone 0 for 3 against Jacksonville on April 26.

The Royals next host North Florida for a three-game series starting Friday. Duke travels to Georgia Tech for a weekend series beginning Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Queens 3, Duke 2. Interstat’s ELO system gave Duke an 89.00 percent probability to win.