Archer Strikes Out Nine, Bulls Win 3-1
Archer (W, 3-4) allowed just an unearned run in the fourth inning after the Bulls (14-24) had assumed a 1-0 lead. The Clayton, NC native allowed just three hits and walked four, throwing 103 pitches and grinding through the sixth inning leading to the victory.
Tied 1-1 in the sixth, Archer walked consecutive hitters on eight pitches, but remained in the game to retire Ronnier Mustelier and Brandon Laird to end the threat and keep the game knotted.
In the seventh, the Stephen Vogt tripled home Henry Wrigley from first base to give the Bulls their second lead of the game, making a loser of reliever Chase Whitley (L, 4-2). In the eighth, the Bulls added an insurance run against the Yankees bullpen after Kyle Hudson reached on a leadoff single, took second on a wild pitch, then came home on a bloop single by Shawn O'Malley.
Ryan Reid threw two hitless innings to get the game to closer Brandon Gomes (S, 2), who retired the side in order in the ninth to record his second save of the season.
Durham went ahead against top Yankees prospect lefty Manny Banuelos in the second inning by stringing three straight hits together with two outs. Hudson singled to center, O'Malley singled to right followed by an opposite-field hit by Matt Mangini. Mustelier charged Mangini's single in left field, but failed to scoop the ball cleanly, allowing Hudson to score for a 1-0 Bulls lead.
The Bulls had 10 hits in the game, with the top three hitters in the lineup combining to go 7-13. Hudson went 2-4, scoring twice and walking, while O'Malley was 3-5 with his sixth steal of the series. Mangini was 2-4 with his first stolen base of the season.
The Bulls lead the series with the Yankees 2-1, and are 3-4 on their current eight-game road trip.
Alex Cobb (1-4, 4.71) starts the road trip finale on Monday night at 7:05 PM ET against Adam Warren (2-1, 5.34) from Frontier Field.