Syracuse, NY --- Former Bulls outfielder Jaff Decker connected for a three-run homer in the fourth sending Syracuse past Durham 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon at NBT Bank Stadium.With the game scoreless in the fourth, Decker slugged the first pitch from Andrew Moore (L, 3-5) over the right field wall with
Syracuse, NY --- Former Bulls outfielder Jaff Decker connected for a three-run homer in the fourth sending Syracuse past Durham 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon at NBT Bank Stadium.
With the game scoreless in the fourth, Decker slugged the first pitch from Andrew Moore (L, 3-5) over the right field wall with two runners aboard. Andrew Stevenson then hit a solo shot to right in the fifth to raise the Chiefs lead to 4-0.
Moore worked six innings, allowing four runs on five hits, fanning and walking two in taking the loss. Ruben Alaniz and Colin Poche each threw one scoreless inning in relief.
The Chiefs (40-55) won the series 2-1.
Trailing 4-0 into the eighth, the Bulls (54-41) appeared poised to get back in the game. After Tommy Milone (W, 7-4) departed following seven scoreless innings, Koda Glover entered on a major league rehab. Rob Refsnyder walked ahead of a single to right from Nick Ciuffo. Johnny Field singled to left to load the bases with none out. Kean Wong fanned, but Willy Adames ripped a one-hop single to left to bring Refsnyder in to make it a 4-1 game. But Christian Arroyo hit a one-hopper back to Glover, who threw home for a force out on Ciuffo. The throw toward first base drilled Arroyo in the helmet, but the ball did not deflect away far enough to score a run. Arroyo remained in the game and was stranded along with two other baserunners when Brandon Snyder fanned.
In the ninth, Justin Williams and Jason Coats singled against Austin Adams (S, 7) to bring the tying run to the plate. Refsnyer grounded hard into a 5-4-3 double play. Ciuffo followed with a run-scoring single to right to make it 4-2. But Field flied out to right field to end the game.
Milone fanned 10 over his seven inning start, improving to 3-0 against the Bulls lifetime, with a 0.87 ERA in four starts, featuring one walk and 42 strikeouts in 31 innings.
The Bulls' lead was trimmed to 5 1/2 by second place Norfolk, which won at Buffalo Wednesday afternoon.
Durham's road trip continues Thursday night in Buffalo with Yonny Chirinos expected to start the opener at 7:05 PM ET.
