Patient Bulls Beat Louisville, Complete Sweep, 11-4

Louisville, KY --- After waiting out a two-hour rain delay, the Durham Bulls took control early and coasted to an 11-4 victory over the Louisville Bats, completing a three-game road sweep at Louisville Slugger Field on Thursday night.
Heavy rains rolled through the area near game time, but the first pitch wasn't thrown until 9:02 PM ET due to water and footing concerns in several areas of the outfield. After the grounds crew used squeegees to displace the excess water, simple time was needed to allow the outfield to reach playable conditions. Under dry skies for nearly 90 minutes, the game finally started.
Durham (9-10) immediately jumped ahead on a bases loaded bloop single that landed on the left field line by Kean Wong to score Andrew Velazquez and Jake Cronenworth. Bats starter Odrisamer Despaigne (L, 1-1) permitted a double to Velazquez, a walk to Cronenworth followed by a single to Nate Lowe to fill the bases. After a strikeout, Wong looped a 1-2 pitch onto the shallow left field line. Wong has driven in 11 runs in the past five games.
After Louisville (8-13) scored a run in the first against Bulls starter Ryan Merritt, the Bulls pushed across three, two-out runs in the third. Batting with two aboard and one out, Jake Smolinski singled to left-center to score Lowe to make it a 3-1 game. Nick Ciuffo followed by blasting a two-run double inside the third base bag for a 5-1 lead.
Josh VanMeter homered with one aboard in the Louisville third before the Bulls pulled away.
Durham tacked on a run in the fourth when Mike Brosseau legged out the back half of a double play grounder, allowing Velazquez to score for a 6-3 lead.
The Bulls put the game away in the seventh with five runs, keyed by a bases loaded double to right-center by Lowe. Leading into Lowe's big hit, Bats reliever Jimmy Herget walked four consecutive hitters, including two to force in runs.
Cole Sulser (W, 1-0) registered the win in relief thanks to a scoreless sixth inning. Mike Franco (S, 1) worked the final three innings to record his first save of the season.  
Merritt pitched the first four innings, yielding three earned runs. Jake Faria made his first apperance since being optioned by Tampa Bay, throwing a scoreless fifth.
Lowe reached base all five times, going 3-3 with two walks and three RBI. Velazquez reached four times with a double, single and two walks. Wong went 2-4, scoring twice and driving in two.
Durham drew a season-high 10 walks along with collecting 10 hits in its third straight win.
The Bulls climbed to within one game of .500 for the first time since the season's third day.
The two-city, six-game road trip continues Friday night in Columbus with Durham's Andrew Moore opposing the Clippers Cody Anderson at 7:15 PM ET.