Bulls Drop Second Straight in 5-1 Loss to PawSox

DURHAM, NC - In front of a third straight sellout crowd, the Durham Bulls fell to the Pawtucket Red Sox 5-1 in the third game of a four-game set Saturday night at the DBAP.

In a matchup of two talented young pitchers, southpaw Henry Owens (3-7) earned the win with six innings of one-run ball, walking two and striking out nine. Righty Matt Andriese (1-1) suffered the loss for the Bulls, surrendering one run on seven hits over six innings, striking out seven and not walking a batter.

For the third straight game the PawSox (41-53) scored the game's first run. In the third Marco Hernandez singled with one out and advanced to third on a single by Mike Miller. Quintin Berry then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to put the visitors in front 1-0.

In the seventh Pawtucket extended its lead, scoring three times for a 4-0 advantage. With one out Jemile Weeks scored on a ground ball to second base, and Jackie Bradley Jr. followed with a two-run single to centerfield that doubled the lead.

Durham (48-45) scored its lone run in the bottom of the seventh, when Corey Brown doubled to lead off the frame, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Nick Franklin delivered a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Brown to cut the deficit to three runs.

The PawSox would close the scoring in the eighth inning though, when Matt Spring hit a pinch-hit, solo homer over the Blue Monster.

The game's paid attendance of 10,254 marked the third sellout in as many days, marking just the second time in DBAP history - and second time this season - the ballpark sold out on three consecutive days.

The Bulls aim to salvage the split of the four-game set Sunday at 5:05 p.m., when RHP Dylan Floro (7-9, 4.85) takes the mound for Durham opposite RHP Zeke Spruill (4-4, 5.30) for the PawSox.