Bulls Blank Bisons 3-0
April 29, 2017 - International League (IL1)
Durham Bulls News Release
DURHAM, NC - In a battle between the top two teams in the International League it was the Bulls that looked like the superior squad Friday night, as Durham shutout the visiting Buffalo Bisons 3-0 to win their fourth straight an improve to a league-best 15-6 on the year.
Starting pitcher Jake Faria was at the front of a dominant performance by the Bulls' pitching staff, as the 23-year-old struck out a season-high 11 batters while allowing just three hits and one walk over six scoreless innings. Relievers Ryne Stanek, Neil Wagner, and Diego Moreno all followed with scoreless innings as well, as the Durham hurlers tossed their second shutout of the season by allowing only two baserunners to reach second base on the night.
The Bulls' bats provided more than enough support for their teammates, scoring single runs in the first, third, and fourth frames to put together the 3-0 score. The first inning tally came thanks to a trio of singles, as Jake Hager led off the frame with a base knock before Patrick Leonard and Casey Gillaspie followed two outs later with back-to-back singles to drive in Hager and put the Bulls up 1-0.
Durham doubled their lead to 2-0 in the third, when Hager started the inning with a double off the Blue Monster in left field and Leonard delivered a two-out, RBI single to right. The home team capped the scoring one inning later, as Curt Casli reached on a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a base knock from Kean Wong, and finally scored on an error by Buffalo second baseman Jonathan Diaz to give the Bulls the 3-0 lead they would win by.
Faria (3-0) earned the win for Durham with his standout performance, while Moreno (3) recorded the save with a perfect ninth inning. Buffalo starter TJ House (3-1) took his first loss of the year after allowing three runs on eight hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts over 5 innings pitched.
Leonard was once again the offensive catalyst for the Bulls, as the third baseman finished 2-3 with an RBI and a walk. Leonard's strikeout in the bottom of the eighth snapped a string of 11 consecutive plate appearances in which he'd reached safely, a string where he went 9-9, HR, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB over three games. Hager also finished with a solid night, going 2-4 with a double and two runs scored.
The Bulls (14-6) and Bisons (13-7) will match up again Saturday night in game two of the series, with RHP Andrew Kittredge (0-0, 1.29) taking on LHP Brett Oberholtzer (0-0, 2.25) at 6:35 pm.
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International League Stories from April 29, 2017
- Tides Take Fifth in 7-4 Win over Chiefs - Syracuse Mets
- Bulls Blank Bisons 3-0 - Durham Bulls
- RailRiders Roll Past Indianapolis - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Kendrick Cruises Past Gwinnett - Pawtucket Red Sox
- Friday's Game in Columbus Suspended Due to Rain - Charlotte Knights
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