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Lowe Blasts Bulls Past Knights With 3-2 Walk-Off Win

Josh Lowe's walk-off homer gives Durham 15th win in last 18 games
Josh Lowe's pinch-hit walk-off homer gave the Bulls a 3-2 walk-off win over Charlotte on Thursday night.
June 10, 2021

Four Bulls relievers combined for five-plus shutout innings of support and shortstop Wander Franco homered for the second straight night before pinch hitter Josh Lowe launched a ninth-inning walk-off home run to give Durham a 3-2 victory over the Charlotte Knights on Thursday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The

Four Bulls relievers combined for five-plus shutout innings of support and shortstop Wander Franco homered for the second straight night before pinch hitter Josh Lowe launched a ninth-inning walk-off home run to give Durham a 3-2 victory over the Charlotte Knights on Thursday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

The win was the Bulls’ 15th victory over their last 18 contests, in addition to their eighth triumph in nine matchups with Charlotte this season. The triumph also ensures Durham remains in at least a share of first place with a 23-9 record.

Bulls 2B Esteban Quiroz started the scoring in the second with a solo shot of his own with an opposite field homer to left-center to give Durham the early advantage. After Charlotte grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fourth, Franco crushed a game-tying solo roundtripper down the left field line in the sixth. That would set the scene for Lowe, who smashed an 0-1 pitch over the left-center for his team-leading ninth longball of the season.

The switch-hitting Franco homered from the right side of the plate on Thursday night after going deep from the left side on Wednesday evening. He entered play on Thursday ranked tied for second among Triple-A players in RBI (29), in addition to third in hits (38) and extra-base hits (17), as well as tied for fourth in total bases (69) and tied for fifth in runs scored (24). Franco has recorded at least one hit in 13 of his last 14 games dating back to May 23.

Durham relievers Brian Moran (1.1 IP, K), Joey Krehbiel (1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 K), Adam Conley (1.1 IP, BB, 2 K) and Chris Mazza (1.0 IP, K) joined forces to yield just two hits over the final 5.2 scoreless frames, with Mazza earning his third victory. Knights reliever Zack Burdi (0.1 IP, H, R, ER) suffered the defeat.

The Bulls are set to continue their six-game home series versus the Knights on Friday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm. RHP Luis Patino (0-1, 8.44) is anticipated to get the nod for Durham, while RHP Mike Wright (2-1, 2.10) is slated to toe the rubber for Charlotte. Tickets for that game and the remainder of Durham’s homestand with Charlotte through June 13 are now available at durhambulls.com.