Durham Drops Norfolk 4-3

5 Bulls relievers combine for 5 perfect innings, Aranda belts game-tying homer in 5th straight win

Bulls righty Tommy Romero notched his first career save as five Durham relievers combined for five perfect innings in a 4-3 win on Wednesday night in Norfolk. (Paxton Rembis (Durham Bulls))

August 17, 2022

Durham designated hitter Jonathan Aranda ripped a game-tying home run in the sixth inning, while five Bulls relievers combined for five perfect frames of support in a 4-3 win over the Norfolk Tides on Wednesday evening at Harbor Park. With the win, the Bulls remain in first place by at

Durham designated hitter Jonathan Aranda ripped a game-tying home run in the sixth inning, while five Bulls relievers combined for five perfect frames of support in a 4-3 win over the Norfolk Tides on Wednesday evening at Harbor Park. With the win, the Bulls remain in first place by at least two games in International League East Division and have won each of their last five games, as well as eight of their last nine.

Norfolk struck first with single tallies in each of the first two frames to go ahead 2-0. Durham narrowed their deficit to one via SS Vidal Brujan’s RBI groundout in the third, however the Tides answered with a run in the fourth via 3B Jordan Westburg’s run-scoring triple to make it 3-1. Aranda would then bash his 16th homer of the year in the sixth to even the contest before Durham grabbed the lead one inning later when 2B Miles Mastrobuoni scored on a force out.

Bulls starter Taj Bradley (4.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) did not factor in the final decisions, with relievers Phoenix Sanders (1.0 IP, SO), Chase Anderson (1.0 IP, 2 SO), Garrett Cleavinger (1.0 IP, 2 SO), Dusten Knight (1.0 IP) and Tommy Romero (1.0 IP, 2 SO) combined to set down all 15 batters faced over the final five innings pitched. Anderson earned the victory and Romero notched the save, while Tides southpaw Bruce Zimmermann (6.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, BB, 7 SO) suffered the defeat.

The two teams are set to continue their series on Thursday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 12:05pm ET in Norfolk. The Bulls’ starting pitcher has not yet been announced, while Tides RHP Denyi Reyes is expected to toe the rubber.

The Bulls return home to Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Tuesday, August 23 to start a six-game set versus the Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. First pitch of the series opener is slated for 6:35pm.

Tickets for that game and all remaining 2022 home dates can be purchased at DurhamBulls.com/tickets.