Balanced Bulls win Game 1 in IL playoffs

Durham's Game 1 win over Indianapolis in the International League semifinals served as a microcosm for its regular season. 
Rays No. 2 prospectWilly Adames and No. 5 prospect Jake Bauers led a balanced attack, while No. 23 prospect Ryan Yarbrough turned in a quality start as the Bulls defeated the Indians, 10-3, on Wednesday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. 

"Willy and Jake have been a huge part of what we've done this year," Durham manager Jared Sandberg said. "Tonight was a collective effort from up and down the lineup."
Bauers put Durham on the board with an RBI single to center field in the first inning. Three batters later, Taylor Featherston doubled the lead by drawing a bases-loaded walk.
In the second, Adames plated Johnny Field with a single to right to make it 3-0. Field served as the catalyst for the Bulls, going 2-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored.
Gameday box score
"We dropped Johnny in the order a while back, but he was excited to be back at the top of the order today and he had a great game for us," Sandberg said. "He set the tone with a walk to start the game and finished with those three runs. It was a huge confidence boost for him."
The Indians cut the deficit on solo homers by Anderson Feliz and Joey Terdoslavich in the third and fourth, respectively. But Durham answered with a six-run fifth, getting an RBI double from Patrick Leonard and run-scoring singles from Field and Shane Peterson.
The seven-run cushion was more than enough for Yarbrough (1-0), who gave up two runs on two hits and a walk with five strikeouts in six innings.
"The guys battled. We started the game in a delay, but we came out and swung the bats well and scored early," Sandberg said. "That allowed Yarbrough to settle in, and even though he gave up the two solo homers, he hung in there and got through it and then the offense came through for him in the fifth inning."
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Game 2 of the best-of-5 series is Thursday in Durham. 
"We have a lot of respect for Indianapolis and their ballclub," Sandberg said. "It's nice to get the Game 1 win, but we know it's back to work tomorrow and that we need to take it one game at a time."

In other playoff action
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at Lehigh Valley, postponed
Game 1 of the other semifinal between the RailRiders and IronPigs was postponed due to rain. The series will begin Thursday at 7:05 p.m. ET.