Bulls Score Season-High 15 Runs in Rout

Scoring a season-high 15 runs on Monday afternoon at the DBAP, the first place Durham Bulls finished off a 7-1 homestand with a 15-2 shellacking of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

Every batter in the Bulls lineup got a base hit, led by Jason Bourgeois, who went 5-for-6 with a home run. He was the first Bull to record a five-hit game since Brandon Guyer, who did it at Pawtucket on April 20, last season. Rich Thompson added 4 RBIs on a double and triple.

The Bulls scored in the first inning for the seventh time in eight games, courtesy of a Vince Belnome sacrifice fly and Wil Myers double. Durham added four in the second, on Thompson's bases-loaded three-bagger. Bulls' batters pounded Scranton starter Kelvin Perez (L, 0-4, 8.66) for 7 hits and 6 runs in 1.1 innings.

Five Scranton relievers didn't fare much better. Shelley Duncan led off the fifth with his second home run in as many days, and Bourgeois led off the sixth just missing the Snorting Bull with his own blast to left. The Bulls scored in six of the first seven innings, capping things with a five-run outburst in the seventh that gave Durham season highs in runs, RBIs and victory margin.

Matt Buschmann started for the Bulls, three days after earning a save in his debut with the team. He went four innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits, striking out 6. Jeff Beliveau (W, 1-1, 2.87) earned the win in relief.

The Bulls raised their team batting average more than 10 points after pounding out 76 runs and 99 hits in the eight-game homestand. With Norfolk's loss, Durham also extended its lead in the IL South to 3 games over the Tides.

The Bulls now hit the road for eight games, with stops in Indianapolis and Louisville. RHP Alex Colome (4-5, 2.60) starts for Durham Tuesday night at 7:05pm against RHP Brandon Cumpton (4-3, 3.51) for the Indians.