Tides Thwart Bulls Sweep Hopes With 8-4 Victory

The Norfolk Tides slipped past the Durham Bulls, 8-4, as they avoided the sweep on Sunday at the DBAP. Alex Colome (L, 1-2) lost his second start in a row, as Norfolk collected eight runs on a season-high 14 hits. Durham retains a 2 game lead over Norfolk in the IL South Division.

It was the third time that Colome and the Tides right-hander Jair Jurrjens matched-up against one another. In the first affair, both walked away with the no decision after combining to allow no runs and two total hits. The second time Jurrjens was handed the loss after Durham won 9-0 from the DBAP. In Sunday's contest, both were once again solid but hittable as they were locked in a 3-3 tie heading to the sixth before Norfolk plated two in their half to retake the lead, 5-3.

For the first time in the series, Norfolk scored first, pushing across two runs in their half of the second inning. Back-to-back RBI doubles by the much-heralded Oriole prospects L.J. Hoes and Jonathan Schoop gave Norfolk an early 2-0 lead. The Tides added another in the fourth, 3-0, when Hoes delivered another RBI, this time in the form of a sacrifice fly.

Durham responded in a big way during their half of the fourth, as they tallied three runs to tie the game. Saturday's star of the game Vince Belnome singled to start the frame, followed by a Mike Fontenot walk and Tim Beckham single to load the bases with nobody out. Cole Figueroa delivered an RBI sacrifice fly for the first run. The next batter Rich Thompson dropped down a bunt that went for a single and drove in the run as Jurrjens was unable to handle the play. Brandon Guyer then singled home Chris Gimenez to tie the game before he was thrown out at second trying to leg out the single into a double.

Colome departed after 5.2 innings of work, leaving a runner on base for the righty Jim Paduch. The reliever entered the fold and yielded back-to-back hits, enabling the inherited runner to score alongside one of his own, giving Norfolk the lead back, 5-3. Colome surrendered four earned runs on seven hits, while he struck out three and walked two as he left the game in line for the loss. Paduch did not record an out while he allowed one run on two hits before departing for the newest Bull LHP Jeff Beliveau. The southpaw, acquired from the Texas Rangers earlier in the week, entered the game and recorded all three of his outs via the strikeout. RHP Will Inman worked 0.2 innings and yielded two runs on two hits before southpaw Adam Liberatore entered the game and cleared the bases when he surrendered a base-clearing double to Russ Canzler, amping the Tides lead to 8-3.

Jurrjens (W, 1-1) worked 6.2 innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits, including two strikeouts and four walks. The right-hander departed the game in line for his first victory of the 2013 campaign for LHP Daniel Schlereth.  The lefty worked in and out of a bases loaded jam with no outs, as the Bulls plated just one in the eighth. RHP Jairo Asencio worked a scoreless ninth inning for the Tides, as he closed out the Bulls.

Following an off day on Monday, the Bulls (12-6) will get back to action on Tuesday as they welcome the Toledo Mud Hens (6-12) to the DBAP for the first time this season. Durham RHP J.D. Martin (1-1, 5.14) will make the start against Toledo southpaw Jose Alvarez (1-1, 2.70). The first of four games is scheduled for a 7:05 pm first pitch.