11-Run 3rd Propels Bulls to 17-3 Win

DURHAM, N.C. - It was a record-setting night for the Durham Bulls offense Saturday evening, as the bats used an 11-run third inning to score a season-high 17 runs in a 17-3 route over the Charlotte Knights at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
The Bulls sent 13 total batters to the plate in the mammoth third frame and scored all 11 of the inning's tallies before a single out was recorded. The double-digit offensive explosion easily eclipsed Durham's previous single-inning high of seven, while the 17 runs for the game comfortably surpassed the team's 13-run game from earlier this year.
All 10 batters who appeared in the game for the Bulls reached base safely at least once, as the team compiled 16 hits and a season-high 10 walks. Casey Gillaspie reached base in each of his six plate appearances on the night, going 3-3 with a home run, double, three RBI, three runs scored, and two walks. Mike McKenry meanwhile tied a career-high with six RBI while going 3-5 with a homer, double, and a run scored.
The offensive onslaught began with a big swing of the bat by Gillaspie in the second, as the first baseman lined a two-run long ball to right to put Durham ahead 2-0. The lead swelled to 6-0 an inning later with an RBI , sacrifice fly from Curt Casali and a bases loaded, three-RBI double by McKenry.
The Bull City Bombers then took their game to another level in the fourth, plating 11 runs on six hits, four walks, and two errors to go ahead 17-0. The first 11 batters of the innings all reached base and scored before a single out was recorded. The first RBI came off a double from Willy Adames , while Casali followed three batters later with a two-RBI base knock to right. Gillaspie then picked up an RBI on an infield single, before McKenry crushed a three-run bomb to right. Following a walk to Cade Gotta and a double by Kean Wong , Johnny Field lifted a three-run big fly over the Blue Monster in left for the final three runs of the frame.
The Knights were able to pick up a run on a bases loaded, RBI walk from Everth Cabrera in the fifth and two more thanks to a two-RBI triple off the bat of Jason Bourgeois in the sixth, but runs stopped there for the 17-3 final score.
The benefactor of all the Bulls' runs was starting pitcher Brent Honeywell Jr. (7-6) who earned the win with a quality start of three runs allowed on five hits, four walks, and nine strikeouts. Reliever Chih-Wei Hu (2) tossed three scoreless innings out of the bullpen to end the game and record the save. Charlotte starter Reynaldo López (5-4) took the loss after allowing six runs on four hits, four walks, and four strikeouts as the first of seven pitcher used by the Knights.
The Bulls (45-29) will go for the three-game series sweep over the Knights (32-41) Sunday evening, with LHP Ryan Yarbrough (6-4, 4.36) taking on RHP Tyler Danish (1-5, 3.84) at 5:05 pm.
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