Lawrenceville, GA --- Jason Coats and Willy Adames each hit two-run homers as Durham started an eight-game road trip with an 8-2 win over Gwinnett at Coolray Field on Monday night.Hunter Wood and three other relievers combined on a four-hitter as the Bulls (27-15) beat the Stripers (16-26) for the
Lawrenceville, GA --- Jason Coats and Willy Adames each hit two-run homers as Durham started an eight-game road trip with an 8-2 win over Gwinnett at Coolray Field on Monday night.
Hunter Wood and three other relievers combined on a four-hitter as the Bulls (27-15) beat the Stripers (16-26) for the sixth time in seven games in 2018.
Joe McCarthy doubled inside the right field line to score Coats in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead over 91-game major league winner Aníbal Sánchez (L,0-1), who was making a rehab start for the Atlanta Braves.
Following a bunt single by Andrew Velazquez with two outs in the second, Coats sailed a two-run shot to left. Brandon Snyder doubled home two runs in the third before the Bulls sealed the game in the fourth. Coats hit a sacrifice fly to make it 6-0, and after Jake Bauers walked, Adames took out Sanchez over the right field wall for an 8-0 lead.
Wood worked three innings, permititng just one hit in a fill-in start. Newcomer Kyle Bird pitched the next two frames, surrendering one run. Andrew Kittredge (W, 2-0) pitched the next three innings to earn the win, retiring nine straight hitters after a Danny Santana home run.
The Bulls moved 4 1/2 games in front of second place Norfolk, which lost to Charlotte on Monday night.
Vidal Nuño III will start the second of the four game series against Gwinnett's Wes Parsons at 7:05. After Durham's series in Lawrenceville, the Bulls head to Louisville Friday through Monday.
