Charlotte Outslugs Durham 9-7
Bulls first baseman Kyle Manzardo, designated hitter Roberto Alvarez, third baseman Jonathan Aranda, center fielder Kameron Misner and catcher Rene Pinto all homered, however Knights right fielder Victor Reyes and left fielder Clint Frazier each went yard, combining for six hits and six runs driven in as part of Charlotte’s
Bulls first baseman Kyle Manzardo, designated hitter Roberto Alvarez, third baseman Jonathan Aranda, center fielder Kameron Misner and catcher Rene Pinto all homered, however Knights right fielder Victor Reyes and left fielder Clint Frazier each went yard, combining for six hits and six runs driven in as part of Charlotte’s 9-7 win over Durham on Thursday night at Truist Field.
After Charlotte jumped ahead with a two-run first, Manzardo mashed his sixth homer of the year, a solo shot, to cut the deficit to one. The Knights would plate another tally in the second, however Durham in the following frame tied the contest in the third courtesy of solo blasts from Alvarez and Aranda.
Charlotte, however would then take a 4-3 advantage with another single score in the fourth. That margin would later be extended to five after a four-run seventh before adding another tally in the eighth. Misner mashed his fifth homer of the season, the Bulls’ fourth solo homer of the evening, in the ninth, before Pinto smashed a three-run opposite field roundtripper to make it a two-run game.
Reyes (3-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI) and Frazier (3-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) posted three knocks apiece, with 3B Yolbert Sanchez (2-4) and SS Zach Remillard (2-5, R) adding multi-hit efforts. Misner (2-3, R, HR, RBI, BB), Aranda (2-5, 2 R, HR, RBI) and Pinto (2-5, R, HR, 3 RBI) meanwhile, each collected two hits. With their five longballs, Durham has now crushed 54 homers this season, which ranks second in the International League.
Charlotte righty Sammy Peralta (2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 SO) earned the victory, while Durham starter Taj Bradley (3.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) suffered the defeat.
The two teams are set to face off again on Friday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 7:04pm. RHP Evan McKendry is scheduled to get the nod for the Bulls, while RHP Sean Burke is anticipated to toe the rubber for the Knights.
Durham returns home to Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Tuesday, May 16 to start a six-game homestand with the Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. First pitch of the series opener is set for 6:35pm.
Tickets for that game and all 2023 Durham Bulls home games are available, and can be purchased at DurhamBulls.com, or by calling 919.956.BULL.