May Mini-Slump Continues for Bulls

The Bulls lost to Syracuse 5-3 at the DBAP on Wednesday afternoon in front of an Education Day crowd of 7,230, continuing a mini-slump to open the month of May. Durham has lost three straight games, dropping a series for just the second time this season.

The Bulls offense mustered just four hits in 7 innings against Syracuse starter and winning pitcher Danny Rosenbaum (W, 3-2, 2.27). In the first three games of the homestand, Durham is hitting just .200. Since a 2-run Leslie Anderson homer gave the Bulls their only lead of the series so far in the first inning Tuesday, Bulls batters are hitting .188.

The weak offensive showing continued a theme for hard-luck starter Alex Colome (L, 1-5, 3.13), who lost his fifth straight decision. After scoring 9 runs in Colome's lone win this season, Bulls batters have managed just 12 in his other six starts.

Syracuse got on the board first with a two-run Mike Costanzo home run off the Snorting Bull in left field in the second inning. It was only the second home run allowed by Colome this season. The Chiefs added another run in the third when Eury Perez reached on a grounder to the mound that Colome couldn't handle. Former Bull Will Rhymes singled him in for an unearned run.

The Bulls got two back in the fifth on a walk, back-to-back bunt singles, and back-to-back errors. The Chiefs got a run in the sixth on back-to-back doubles by Zach Walters and Costanzo, and a solo homer by Eury Perez in the seventh capped their scoring.

Colome struck out 10 batters in 5.2 innings, matching a Bulls season high, and Durham pitchers struck out a season-high 17 Chiefs batters for the game.

Durham loaded the bases in the eighth but could only score one run, on an Anderson groundout. Shelley Duncan flew to short right, and Vince Belnome took a called strike three to end the threat.

The Bulls got two runners on in the ninth, but again couldn't come through with the big hit. For the game, 13 Bulls batters came to the plate as the tying run or with the tying run on base. They got just two hits.

The series concludes on Thursday at 7:05pm with J.D. Martin (3-1, 3.94) starting for Durham against Syracuse's Ross Ohlendorf (3-3, 4.58).