Durham Out-Slugs Gwinnett to Take Rubber Match

DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls pounded out 14 hits en route to a 10-6 victory over the Gwinnett Braves Sunday evening at the DBAP, taking the rubber match of the three-game set.

Casey Gillaspie paced the Durham offense, going 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. JP Arencibia had a big day as well, driving in three behind two hits, while Jaff Decker finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and two doubles.

The Bulls (59-77) scored in the very first inning on Richie Shaffer's RBI single for an early advantage. The G-Braves took a 3-1 lead in the third behind Ronnier Mustelier's three-run homer, but the home side tied the contest in the bottom of the inning on Arencibia's two-run single.

In the fourth Durham's offense continued its outburst when Dayron Varona lifted a leadoff homer over the Blue Monster, and later in the frame Gillaspie cranked a three-run dinger to straightaway centerfield for a 7-3 lead.

Gwinnett (61-74) got a run back in the fifth on a sacrifice fly, but the Bulls' lead ballooned to six in the sixth inning as Arencibia, Decker and Johnny Field all delivered run-scoring singles. Tyler Moore launched a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to make it a 10-6 contest, but that was as close as the visitors would come as Durham won its second straight to take the series.

Ryne Stanek (2-4) earned the win with two innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit and striking out one. Making a spot-start for the G-Braves, Wilfredo Boscan (6-8) took the loss for the visitors after allowing five runs on eight hits in three innings of work.

Durham welcomes the IL West Champion Columbus Clippers to the DBAP for a three-game series beginning Monday. LHP Justin Marks (6-11, 4.12) takes the hill for the Bulls against LHP Shawn Morimando (5-1, 2.76) for the Clippers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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