Durham Defeats Memphis 4-3 For 3rd Straight Win

Durham left fielder Vidal Brujan blasted his second home run in as many nights and second baseman Taylor Walls tallied three hits as the Bulls won their third straight game to start the year with a 4-3 triumph over the Memphis Redbirds on Thursday evening at AutoZone Park.

Brujan recorded his third straight multi-hit effort to start 2021, and began the scoring by blasting a two-run homer in the third. Durham doubled their advantage in the seventh courtesy of 2B Walls’ RBI single prior to C Brett Sullivan scoring on a fielder’s choice. Memphis later narrowed the deficit to 4-3 via SS Jose Rondon’s three-run homer in the eighth, however Louis Head shut the door in the ninth to preserve Durham’s victory.

Head (1.0 IP, 2 K) notched his second save in as many opportunities, while reliever Dalton Moats earned his first victory in support of starter Brent Honeywell Jr. (2.0 IP, 3 K). Redbirds starter Matthew Liberatore (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K) suffered the defeat.

Walls (3-3, R, RBI, BB) reached base four times to pace the Durham batting order, joined by Brujan (2-4, R, HR, 2 RBI) and Sullivan (2-4, R) in recording multi-hit efforts.

Durham and Memphis are slated to square off in game four of their six-game series on Friday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10pm ET. RHP Drew Strotman is expected to make his Triple-A debut for the Bulls, while the Redbirds’ starter has not yet been announced.

Following Durham’s road series in Memphis, the Bulls are set to return to Durham Bulls Athletic Park to begin their 2021 home slate versus the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Tuesday, May 11. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm. Tickets with socially-distanced seating for that game and all Bulls home games in May are available at durhambulls.com.