Bulls slug their way past Wings, 9-5, Friday

Devin Smeltzer had his first rough outing of the season as the Durham Bulls knocked him out of the game in the fifth inning in a 9-5 win over the Red Wings on Friday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

The loss is the Wings (14-23) fourth straight and sixth in their last seven games.
Smeltzer came in sporting the best ERA (0.40) in all of Minor League Baseball, but allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks over 4.2 innings. The lefty had allowed just four runs (two earned) in his first 45 innings pitched this season between Double-A Pensacola and Rochester.
After the Bulls took a 2-0 lead in the second, Jake Cave tied the game with a mammoth two-run homer in the fourth inning - his first of the year for the Wings.
The Bulls regained the lead in the bottom half of the frame on a two-run homer from Nick Solak. 
The reigning champs would pile on four more runs in the sixth off Trevor Hildenberger who was making his first appearance for the Wings since being optioned from Minnesota.
Drew Maggi extended his on-base streak to 22 games with a three-run homer in the seventh - his third of the season.
Lamonte Wade Jr, Wilin Rosario and Cave all notched two-hit nights for the Wings.
The Wings and Bulls weekend set continues Saturday night at 6:35 pm with southpaw Lewis Thorpe on the mound for Rochester.