Lehigh Valley Defeats Durham 5-4

Bulls left fielder Cooper Hummel and right fielder Kameron Misner each mashed a homer, while center fielder Tristan Peters and shortstop Tanner Murray both drove in a run in the ninth, however IronPigs center fielder Justin Crawford and right fielder Brewer Hicklen smashed longballs as Lehigh Valley finished off a series sweep with a 5-4 win over Durham on Sunday afternoon at Coca-Cola Park.

Hummel and Misner left the yard with solo shots in the second and third frames, respectively, for early 2-0 advantage. Crawford would then leave the yard in the fourth to narrow Durham’s lead to 2-1 before the IronPigs struck for two more tallies in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead. Hicklen’s homer in the seventh extended Lehigh Valley’s lead to two before another single tally in the eighth made it 5-2. Peters in the ninth would drive a single to right in the ninth before Murray smashed an RBI double to left, however the Bulls were unable to complete the comeback.

Hummel (2-3 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI) was the lone Durham batter to record a multi-hit effort. The loss extended the Bulls’ season-long losing streak to six, and marks the first time Durham has been swept in a six-game set since the six-game series format was implemented at the start of the 2021 campaign.

IronPigs reliever Nolan Hoffman (1.0 IP) earned the victory, with Max Lazar (1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) notching the save. Bulls starter Forrest Whitley (5.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO) suffered the defeat.

What's Next: Following an off day on Monday, the Bulls return home to Durham Bulls Athletic Park to start a six-game homestand versus the Worcester Red Sox, the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. RHP Logan Workman is expected to toe the rubber for Durham and be opposed by RHP Jose De Leon.