Ryan Hurls Gem In 1-0 Win Over Norfolk

Bulls starting pitcher Joe Ryan struck out nine batters and allowed just one hit and one walk over seven shutout innings, while second baseman Kevin Padlo broke a scoreless tie with a seventh-inning solo home run in Durham’s 1-0 three-hit shutout victory over the Norfolk Tides on Sunday afternoon at Harbor Park.

Ryan (7.0 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 9 K) set down all but two of the 23 batters he faced, including each the last 14, to earn his fourth victory of the season. His seven frames pitched matched a single-game career-high, in addition to being the longest outing by a Bulls starter this season. The Durham relief trio of Phoenix Sanders (0.2 IP, H), Adam Conley (0.1 IP) and Louis Head (1.0 IP, H, BB) joined forces for the last two innings to complete the shutout, with Head notching his third save. Norfolk starter Alex Wells (6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K) also fired six solid frames, though he did not factor in the final decisions as reliever Shawn Armstrong (1.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER, K) suffered the defeat.

Padlo was responsible for the lone score of the day, bashing a solo shot to left-center, his ninth big fly of the year, to give Durham the only tally they would need. Durham 1B Dalton Kelly (2-4, 2B) was the lone batter from either side to record a multi-hit effort.

Following a league-wide off day on Monday, the Bulls are set to return to Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Tuesday, July 13, to start a six-game series versus the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp as part of a 12-game homestand. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm ET. Tickets for that game and all other remaining Bulls home games are also available at durhambulls.com.