Arencibia, Offense Power Bulls Past Tides
DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls pounded out 14 hits en route to a 10-6 victory over the Norfolk Tides in front of an announced crowd of 11,202 fans Sunday evening at the DBAP, winning their third straight game.
JP Arencibia led the Bulls' offense, homering and driving in three while going 2-for-4. Mikie Mahtook went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a walk, while Johnny Field, Dayron Varona and Jake Hager all tallied two-hit games as Durham (64-79) scored at least seven runs for the third straight game.
The Tides (61-82) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after the top of the first inning, but the home team stormed back in the second inning, beginning when Arencibia and Richie Shaffer ripped back-to-back solo homers. After Varona and Hager recorded back-to-back hits, Field's double scored them both as the Bulls took their first lead of the game. Two batters later Daniel Robertson's double plated field for a 5-3 advantage.
Norfolk re-took the lead in the fourth inning though, scoring three times, highlighted by Trey Mancini's two-run double. The back-and-forth battle continued in the fifth, when Arencibia struck for a two-run single that scored Mahtook and Casey Gillaspie. Durham added three insurance runs in the eighth frame when Hager, Field and Mahtook all notched RBI knocks to extend the lead to 10-6.
Parker Markel (5-3) picked up the win for Durham, tossing two scoreless innings in relief, as the Bulls used six different pitchers on a bullpen day. Right-hander Joe Gunkel (8-11) suffered the loss for Norfolk after allowing seven runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings.
Eight of Durham's nine starters had at least one hit in the win, while seven players scored a run as the Bulls went 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
The 2016 season comes to a close on Monday at 1:05 p.m. against the Tides. RHP Austin Pruitt (8-10, 3.69) takes the mound for Durham against RHP Mike Wright (3-4, 3.15) for Norfolk.
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