Durham Earns 11-0 Shutout Victory

Bulls third baseman Kevin Padlo bashed a home run and was joined by right fielder Nathan Lukes and second baseman Esteban Quiroz in driving in two runs each, while four Durham pitchers combined for an 11-0 four-hit shutout victory over the Norfolk Tides on Tuesday evening at Harbor Park.

Padlo put the Bulls ahead 2-0 with a two-run shot in the opening frame before Durham blew the game wide open with a six-run second highlighted by Lukes’ two-run double to right and DH Mike Ford’s RBI single. Following SS Tristan Gray’s sacrifice fly in the third, the Bulls reached double digits in the sixth courtesy of Quiroz’s two-run double to center.

Lukes (2-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI) and LF Ryan Boldt (2-4, 2 R) each posted multi-hit efforts in the victory. CF Josh Lowe, meanwhile, extended his hit streak to eight with a sixth-inning single.

Durham reliever Sean Poppen (3.0 IP, H, 5 K) fanned five over three shutout frames in support of starter Drew Strotman (4.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K) to earn the victory, with Joey Krehbiel (1.0 IP, H) and Brian Moran (1.0 IP, 3 K) preserving the shutout. Norfolk starter Dean Kremer (1.2 IP, 5 H, 7 R ,4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) suffered the defeat.

The Bulls and Tides are scheduled to continue their series on Wednesday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm ET. LHP Dietrich Enns (3-1, 2.84) is anticipated to get the nod for Durham, while RHP Mickey Jannis (0-1, 3.14) is expected to toe the rubber for Norfolk.

The Bulls return to Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Tuesday, July 13, to start a six-game series versus the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. 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.