Norfolk Salvages Split in Front of Another Sellout
The first-place Durham Bulls played before another huge sellout crowd, but they were unable to muster much offense in a 5-1 loss to the Norfolk Tides on Friday night.
One day after a DBAP record attendance of 11,754, the Bulls attracted a crowd of 10,218. It was the second-largest back-to-back total in DBAP history, finishing just 35 fans behind August 31 and September 1, 2007, when 22,007 fans watched the Bulls and Charlotte Knights. It was also the first time the Bulls had back-to-back five-digit crowds since May 17 and 18 last year.
Bulls batters weren't able to solve Norfolk starter Tsuyoshi Wada (W, 2-4, 5.14) in front of that crowd though, as the southpaw faced one batter over the minimum in the first six innings. Wada went 6.2 innings, allowing 4 hits, no walks, and striking out 6.
Durham managed a run against former Bull Adam Russell, who relieved Wada in the sixth, as Ryan Roberts singled in Brandon Guyer, who scored his league-leading 62nd run scored, but it was too late.
Norfolk got all the runs they would need in a third-inning explosion against Bulls starter Jake Odorizzi (L, 6-2, 3.45). The Tides got five of their seven hits against Odorizzi in the third, with Chris Snyder, Henry Urrutia, L.J. Hoes, and former Bull Russ Canzler driving in runs.
Former Bull Jason Pridie homered in the seventh to complete the scoring.
Odorizzi suffered his first loss since June 1, and reliever Frank De Los Santos returned from the disabled list for his first Bulls appearance since May 7.
The Bulls now hit the road for a two-game series in Gwinnett. LHP Mike Montgomery (4-2, 3.60) starts for the Bulls Saturday against RHP Kameron Loe (2-2, 3.49).