Bulls Topple Stripers 8-3

Bulls starting pitcher Joe Ryan matched a season-high with nine strikeouts over five-plus frames, while shortstop Vidal Brujan, second baseman Esteban Quiroz, left fielder Nathan Lukes and catcher Brett Sullivan combined for nine hits, including four doubles and a home run, with seven runs driven in as part of Durham’s 8-3 victory over the Gwinnett Stripers on Tuesday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Ryan (5.1 IP, 2 H, R, ER, BB, 9 K) set down 14 of the first 17 batters he faced, scattering two hits in 5.1 innings of work to earn his third victory. His nine punchouts matched a season-high after fanning nine on May 5 at Memphis. Stripers starter Nolan Kingham (3.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) suffered the defeat in his Triple-A debut.

Quiroz started the scoring with a two-run double to right in the second. After 1B Dalton Kelly extended that advantage to 3-0 with a solo shot to center in the third, Sullivan one inning later doubled the margin to six via a three-run blast to right-center. The two teams would then trade a pair of tallies in the sixth, with Durham’s scores coming courtesy of Lukes’ two-run single to left.

Brujan (3-3, R, 2 2B, BB) reached base five times, including two doubles and two walks, to pace the Durham order, with Quiroz (2-3, R, 2 2B, 2 RBI), Sullivan (2-3, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI) and Lukes (2-4, 2 RBI) also posting multi-hit efforts. Lukes has recorded hits in 12 of his 15 June contests, batting .370 (20-54) with ten runs, three doubles, three homers and 14 RBI.

The two teams are set to face off again on Wednesday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm ET. RHP Drew Strotman (5-2, 4.58) is expected to get the nod for the Bulls, while RHP Bryse Wilson (4-2, 4.70) is anticipated to toe the rubber for the Stripers. Tickets for that game and all remaining Bulls home games are now available at durhambulls.com.