Durham Spoils Career Night for Fuentes as Stripers Lose 2-1

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Despite a brilliant outing from Didier Fuentes, the Gwinnett Stripers (15-17) fell 2-1 to the Durham Bulls (18-12) on Saturday night at Coolray Field. Gwinnett still holds a 3-2 lead in the six-game series.

Decisive Plays: Both Fuentes and Durham starter Logan Workman got into an early rhythm but after a leadoff automatic double from Luke Waddell to start the fourth inning, he was driven in on a Carlos Rodriguez sacrifice fly to put Gwinnett ahead 1-0. Fuentes held the Bulls off the scoreboard through the first six innings on the way to his first quality start in a Stripers uniform. Durham took advantage of his exit and a two-out fielding error from Waddell in the seventh, taking the lead on a two-run single from Jamie Westbrook. Both runs would go as unearned against reliever John Brebbia (L, 1-1). The Stripers put the first two runners on in the eighth and ninth but couldn’t come up with the big hit as the game ended 2-1.

Key Contributors: Fuentes struck out seven batters while allowing just four hits over 6.0 innings in a no-decision. Waddell (2-for-4, double) provided two of the Stripers’ three hits. Workman (W, 7-3) allowed just one earned run in 7.0 innings which matched his season high. Eric Orze (S, 2) stranded the tying run on third in the ninth.

Noteworthy: Fuentes matched his career high of 6.0 innings pitched, a total he's now reached four times as a professional, last hitting the mark on April 12 with High-A Rome. Across his last two starts, Fuentes has allowed just one earned run across 11.0 innings.

Next Game (Sunday, August 3): Gwinnett Stripers vs. Durham Bulls, 1:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. RHP Hurston Waldrep (7-8, 4.42 ERA) gets the ball for Gwinnett against RHP Connor Seabold (3-4, 6.56 ERA). Radio Broadcast: 12:50 p.m. on MyCountry993.com.