Bulls Squander Big Lead, Fall in 10 to Tides
DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls squandered a six-run lead, and fell to the Norfolk Tides 9-7 in 10 innings Friday night at the DBAP in the opener of a three-game series.
Leading 7-1 through six innings, the Bulls allowed two runs in the seventh on a two-run dinger by Sharlon Schoop. In the eighth Christian Walked drilled a two-run homer for the visitors, before Trey Mancini followed with a solo shot to make it a 7-6 contest. Schoop then struck again in the top of the ninth, launching his second homer of the evening to tie the contest.
In the 10th inning the Tides (11-17) offense continued to roll, plating two more runs when Audry Perez delivered an RBI single, and Schoop tallied an RBI double.
Durham (12-17) trailed 1-0 until the sixth inning, when they erupted for seven runs in the frame when they sent 13 men to the dish. Nick Franklin plated the first run with a single to left field, and Carlos Corporan put the home side in front with an RBI single. Jake Goebbert drew a bases-loaded walk for a 3-1 lead, before Dayron Varona followed with a two-run single. Taylor Motter capped the inning's scoring when he drove home two with a single to centerfield to put the Bulls in front 7-1.
Zach Phillips (2-1) earned the victory for Norfolk with a scoreless inning of relief, while Pedro Beato picked up his first save of the season with a perfect 10th inning. Mark Sappington (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in the final frame.
Jaime Schultz pitched well for Durham, as the right-hander tossed six innings and allowed just one run on three hits, striking out eight and walking three. It marked the fifth time in six starts on the season the 24-year-old allowed two runs or fewer.
Eight Bulls hit safely in the loss, with Varona, Motter and Leonard each tallying two-hit nights. The Bulls had been held scoreless for 26 straight innings before the seven-run sixth frame.
The teams square off again at 5:05 p.m. on Saturday night. RHP Austin Pruitt (2-1, 2.93) gets the ball for Durham opposite RHP Joe Gunkel (0-1, 1.69) for Norfolk.