Bulls Take No-Hit Bid Into 8th, Win 5-2

Romero & Fleming combine for 1st 7.1 hitless frames

September 4, 2021

Bulls starting pitcher Tommy Romero and southpaw Josh Fleming combined to take a no-hitter into the eighth inning, while center fielder Josh Lowe lashed three hits and catcher Rene Pinto crushed a two-run home run in Durham’s 5-2 victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Saturday night at 121 Financial

Bulls starting pitcher Tommy Romero and southpaw Josh Fleming combined to take a no-hitter into the eighth inning, while center fielder Josh Lowe lashed three hits and catcher Rene Pinto crushed a two-run home run in Durham’s 5-2 victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Saturday night at 121 Financial Ballpark.

Romero (5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K) earned the victory after tossing the first five hitless frames. Fleming (3.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER, 2 K) followed and took the no-hit bid into the eighth before the Jumbo Shrimp clubbed their first hit with one out in the eighth. Rays right-hander Nick Anderson (1.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER, K) pitched the ninth as part of his Major League Rehab Assignment, while Jacksonville righty Luis Madero (2.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, K) suffered the defeat.

The scoreless draw lasted until the sixth, when Lowe reached on a force out and stole second before coming across on a Jumbo Shrimp error. Pinto would then launch his 12th longball with the Bulls, a two-run shot, to make it 3-0. Lowe one inning later laced a two-run single to center to extend the advantage to five. Jacksonville would narrow the margin with single tallies in the eighth and ninth frames to finish the game’s scoring.

Lowe (3-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI) posted a game-high three knocks, with Pinto (2-4, R, HR, 2 RBI) adding a multi-hit effort of his own. The victory improves Durham’s Triple-A league-leading record to 68-38.

The two teams are scheduled to face off for the 36th and final time in 2021 on Sunday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm. RHP Brent Honeywell Jr. is expected to get the nod for the Bulls, while the Jumbo Shrimp are slated to send LHP Brandon Leibrandt to the hill.

The Bulls return home on Tuesday, September 7 for their penultimate homestand of the year, facing off against the Norfolk Tides for seven tilts. Start time for that series’ opener is set for 6:35pm. Tickets for that game, as well as all remaining Bulls home games are available and can be purchased at DurhamBulls.com.