Charlotte, NC -- Kevin Padlo and Dalton Kelly each homered and collected three hits to lead Durham past Charlotte 7-6 on Thursday night at BB&T Ballpark.The game, which started at 9:30 PM ET due to rain, ended on a flyout to centerfield from Knights centerfielder Luis Robert at 12:12 AM
Charlotte, NC -- Kevin Padlo and Dalton Kelly each homered and collected three hits to lead Durham past Charlotte 7-6 on Thursday night at BB&T Ballpark.
The game, which started at 9:30 PM ET due to rain, ended on a flyout to centerfield from Knights centerfielder Luis Robert at 12:12 AM Friday morning. Hoby Milner (S, 7) retired the final four batters of the game to record the save, lifting Durham (63-48) to within 2 1/2 games of first place Gwinnett, and 4 1/2 games clear in the wild card chase over Charlotte.
When the game finally did start, Durham raced to a 5-0 lead after four innings. The Bulls batted around in the second inning against Donny Roach. Padlo, who finished a single shy of the cycle, doubled to lead off the inning and came home on a single from Tyler Ladendorf. Mac James singled with two outs ahead of a two-run double from Kelly.
In the third, Padlo tripled to right-center and scored on a grounder from Nathan Lukes for a 4-0 lead. Kelly homered to the opposite field with one out in the fourth. Kelly fell a triple shy of the cycle.
After four scoreless innings thanks to three double play grounders, starter Ricardo Pinto (W, 7-4) permitted five two-out runs in the fifth as the Knights (58-52) tied the game 5-5.
But for the second straight night, Durham hit back-to-back home runs, with Michael Perez and Padlo connecting against Zach Thompson in the seventh.
Daniel Palka homered in the eighth against Phoenix Sanders to draw Charlotte to within 7-6, but Milner closed out the game to split the two-game series.
Durham's road trip moves to its final city, with Sam McWilliams starting against the Norfolk Tides on Friday night at 7:05 PM ET.
