Rochester wins game one 6-1; blanked in the night cap, 4-0.
DURHAM, N.C. — The Rochester Red Wings both extended and snapped the Durham Bulls losing streak Tuesday night as the Bulls dropped game one 6-1 before cruising to a 4-0 victory in the night cap from Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
The defeat in the first game was the fifth straight loss for the Bulls, the longest skid of the season for the top team in the International League South Division. Durham recovered in game two however, with the team recording its sixth shutout of the season to win their seventh home game in their last eight contests.
Game one saw the Red Wings take an early lead, with an RBI groundout by Tommy Field in the second and a two-run home run from Niko Goodrum in the third putting the road team ahead 3-0. The Bulls got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, with a single by Patrick Leonard and an RBI double off the bat of Shane Peterson cutting their deficit to 3-1.
That would be as close as Durham would get however, as Rochester pulled away in the sixth with back-to-back doubles by John Ryan Murphy and Leonardo Reginatto giving the Red Wings the 6-1 lead they would win by.
Ryan Yarbrough (3-3) took the loss for the Bulls after tying a season-high with six runs allowed on seven hits, two walks, and five strikeouts over six innings pitched. Rochester starter Ryan Eades (1-0) earned the win in his Triple-A debut, with one run given up on five hits, one walk, and five strikeouts during his five innings pitched.
Peterson finished the game 1-3 with a double and an RBI, while Johnny Field went 1-3 with a double as well.
The second game had the Bulls playing as the visiting team as a result of the contest being made up from a rainout in Rochester on May 25. With Durham batting in the top of the first, Field led off the game with a double down the right field line before eventually scoring on a throwing error by Rochester catcher Mitch Garver to give the “road team” a 1-0 lead. Durham promptly tripled the advantage to 3-0 in the second thanks to an RBI single by Field, who would come around to score later in the inning on another Red Wings error.
The Bulls tacked on their last tally in the fourth, as Jake Bauers drove home Mallex Smith with an RBI double off the Blue Monster for the 4-0 lead Durham would win by.
Reliever Andrew Kittredge (2-1) earned the win for the Bulls after tossing three shutout innings on one hit and three strikeouts. Rochester starter D.J. Baxendale (0-2) was handed the loss after giving up three runs, two earned, on seven hits, two walks, and a strikeout during his 2.2 innings.
Field finished game two 2-4 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI, while Smith went 3-3 with two stolen bases, a walk, and a run scored.
The Bulls (30-20) and Red Wings (23-23) will match up again Wednesday night at 7:05 pm,
*NOTES — RHP Yohan Pino was transferred from Double-A Chattanooga to Rochester, and RHP Nick Tepesch was placed on the disabled list with right elbow impingement.