Snell Sails as Bulls Top Red Wings 5-1

DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls got a standout pitching performance and a solid effort by the offense Wednesday night, as starting pitcher Blake Snell sailed through a season-high 6.2 innings and the offense backed him up with a 10-hit performance in the Bulls' 5-1 win over the Rochester Red Wings at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Snell's dominant outing marked the second straight start the southpaw pitched into the seventh inning, as he held the Red Wings to one run on four hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts. His only blemish on the night came in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly. A Durham lineup that had scuffled of late provided plenty of support on the night, scoring five runs on 10 hits to carry the club to a second straight victory.
The Bulls got on the board in the bottom of the second, as a leadoff single by Patrick Leonard was followed by a no-doubt, two-run home run from Shane Peterson to put the home team ahead 2-0. Rochester got back in the game with an RBI sacrifice fly by Tommy Field in the top of the fourth to cut the score to 2-1, but Snell would strand a pair of runners in scoring position to escape the jam and end the inning.
Durham began to pull away in the fifth, with an infield hit by Dayron Varona and an RBI double off the bat of Johnny Field stretching the advantage to 3-0. The Bulls then put the game to bed in the seventh, as Willy Adames lined a bases loaded, two-RBI single to right to give the home team the 5-0 lead they would win by.
Adames (1-4, 2 RBI) and Peterson (1-4, HR, 2 RBI) led the Bulls' bats on the night, while Varona finished 3-4 with a stolen base and two runs scored in his first game with Durham since May 2.
Snell (2-0) earned the win with his quality start. Relievers Adam Kolarek and Neil Wagner combined for 2.2 scoreless innings to finish off the win. Rochester starter Yohan Pinto (0-2) took the loss after allowing three runs on six hits and eight strikeouts during his 5.2 innings on the mound.
The Bulls (31-20) will go for the series win over the Red Wings (23-24) in the finale Thursday night, with RHP Jake Faria (5-1, 3.48) taking on LHP Nik Turley (0-1, 3.38) at 7:05 pm.
#DURHAMBULLS
Every team wants a five-tool player. Finding future all-stars is hard, but health insurance doesn't have to be. Because Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has the tools to make using health care easy.