Chirinos, Featherston Fuel Bulls to 3-2 Win

DURHAM, N.C. - The Durham Bulls used a three-run home run from Taylor Featherston and a shutout performance from Yonny Chirinos Saturday night to come away with a 3-2 win over the Norfolk Tides at the DBAP.
A third-straight sellout crowd of 10,983 fans saw the Bulls take a 3-0 lead and hold on to survive a late Tides rally. Featherston knocked in all the Durham runs with a three-run homer in the fourth that looked to be more than enough before Norfolk came storming back in the ninth. The Bulls ultimately escaped with a 3-2 win when reliever Diego Castillo stranded the bases loaded to secure Durham's 80^th victory of the season.
Neither team got much going at the plate over the first three innings of the game, with Chirinos and Norfolk starter Jayson Aquino allowing just two baserunners apiece over that span. It wasn't until two outs in the fourth that the Durham lineup got something going, as Trevor Plouffe walked and Johnny Field reached on a throwing error to put two men on in front of Featherston. The 27-year-old then put the Bulls on top with a three-run homer over the wall in right field for 3-0 Durham lead.
The three-run lead held up until the ninth, when the first five batters of the inning reached safely for Norfolk against Castillo. Joe Rickard walked while Luis Sardiñas and Rubén Tejada both picked up singles to load the bases with nobody out to start the frame. Back-to-back RBI single by Pedro Álvarez and Drew Dosch then cut the score to 3-2 with the bases still loaded and nobody out. Castillo responded with his back against the wall, however, as the right-hander picked up a strikeout, a popup, and a lineout to wiggle out of the jam and give the Bulls the 3-2 victory.
Chirinos (12-5) earned the win after throwing six scoreless innings on one hit, two walks, and two strikeouts. Reliever Chaz Roe (5) was credited with a hold for striking out five of the six batters he faced over two perfect innings pitched, while Castillo (7) recorded the save after escaping the jam in the ninth. Aquino (3-9) took the loss for Norfolk with three unearned runs allowed on three hits, one walk, and three strikeouts over his six innings pitched.
Featherston paced the Bulls' bats with a 2-3 game including a home run, double, walk, and three RBI.
The Bulls (80-52) and Tides (62-71) will play the rubber match of their three-game series in the final regular season home game of the season at the DBAP on Sunday, with RHP Burch Smith (0-1, 3.60) taking on RHP Tyler Wilson (6-8, 4.73) at 5:05 pm.
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