Padlo, Bulls Push Past Tides 4-3

Bulls third baseman Kevin Padlo crushed a go-ahead three-run home run to right-center in the seventh inning and first baseman Wyatt Mathisen went deep in his second straight game in Durham’s 4-3 victory over the Norfolk Tides on Sunday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Entering the last of the sixth down 2-0, Mathisen smashed a solo shot to left to cut the deficit to one. Pinch hitter Deivy Grullon would then lead off the subsequent inning with a walk and take second on pinch hitter Vidal Brujan’s free pass, before both scored when Padlo mashed his two-out opposite-field three-run homer to put Durham ahead 4-2. Norfolk C Brett Cumberland started the scoring with a solo homer in the second. SS Mason McCoy made it a two-run game courtesy of a fifth-inning sacrifice fly.

Durham reliever Chris Mazza (1.2 IP, K) earned the win with 1.2 shutout frames of support behind starter Luis Patino (4.0 IP, 3 H, R, ER, 0 BB, 5 K), while Sean Poppen (0.2 IP, BB, K) notched his first save. Tides southpaw reliever Fernando Abad (1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, K), meanwhile, suffered the defeat and blown save.

Franco (2-4) was the lone Bulls batter to post a multi-hit effort, while RF Nathan Lukes his hit streak to ten games with his fifth-inning base knock. The win gives Durham a series victory over the Tides, in addition to pulling Durham within one game of first-place Nashville.

Following a league-wide off day on Monday, the Bulls are set to begin a six-game home series at Durham Bulls Athletic Park versus the Charlotte Knights on Tuesday, June 8. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm. Starting pitchers for both teams have not yet been determined. Tickets for that game and the remainder of Durham’s homestand with Charlotte through June 13 are now available at durhambulls.com.