Bulls Sweep Chiefs
Published on July 26, 2010 under International League (IL1)
Durham Bulls News Release
Durham, NC - The Bulls pounded out 10 runs on 10 hits in the first inning and never looked back as they completed a four-game sweep of Syracuse with a 15-4 rout on Monday night. Dan Johnson had a three-run homer and Omar Luna finished a two-run double as the Bulls put together their first 10-run inning since August 15, 2007 against Charlotte.
The Bulls started the game with eight straight hits against Chiefs starter Jason Jones. An RBI single by Joe Dillon brought home Desmond Jennings for the first run of the game. After Justin Ruggiano singled, Dan Johnson blasted his league leading 29th home run of the season to make it a 4-0 lead. Three straight singles loaded the bases again, and Omar Luna continued the barrage with a double into the left-center field gap to make it a 6-0 lead. Fernando Perez followed with an RBI groundout, stopping the Bulls hit streak at eight but pushing the seventh run of the inning across. Jones was removed and replaced by Dan Leatherman. Justin Ruggiano plated two with a double later in the inning, and Chris Richard finished off the scoring with an RBI single to make it 10-0.
Virgil Vasquez got the start for the Bulls and went on to pick up his fifth win of the season. With the lead well in hand, Vasquez worked 7.0 solid innings allowing one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out a pair. His only earned run allowed came in the top of the second, on a solo blast by Seth Bynum.
The Bulls added a run in the top of the second on a RBI double by Joe Dillon. The score would stay 11-1 until the bottom of the seventh inning, when Dillon connected for his third hit of the game, a two-run blast over the Snorting Bull in left field. He would go onto finish the night 3-for-5, scoring three times and driving in four to snap out of a 3-for-21 skid to start the second half.
Fernando Perez added to the lead in the following frame, hitting a two-run homer of his own off Syracuse outfielder Kevin Mench who came on to pitch in the eighth. It was Perez's fourth homer of the season, and finished the night 3-for-5 with three runs batted in. Omar Luna came around to score on the Perez blast, scoring his third run of the night in addition to finishing 4-for-5 at the plate with a pair of RBI and raising his season average to .367.
Aneury Rodriguez came on in relief of Vasquez in the eighth inning, allowing three earned runs in 2.0 innings of work to finish out the sweep for the Bulls. The win improves Durham to a season-best 22 games over the .500 mark at 62-40, and they extend their lead in the South Division to 11.0 games over second place Charlotte.
Tomorrow the Bulls head to Lehigh Valley to kick off an eight-game road trip with four games against the IronPigs. Heath Phillips (8-6 4.03) will take the mound for Durham matched up against RHP Brandon Duckworth (5-3 3.53).
International League Stories from July 26, 2010
- Indians Claim Series Over Knights with 8-5 Win - Indianapolis Indians
- Columbus Completes Sweep of PawSox - Pawtucket Red Sox
- Durham Demolishes Syracuse 15-4 - Syracuse Mets
- Bulls Sweep Chiefs - Durham Bulls
- G-Braves Vs. Louisville Rained Out - Gwinnett Stripers
- Mets Select Contract of Bisons' INF Mike Hessman - Buffalo Bisons
- IronPigs Game Notes - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- Red Wings Announce 2-Yr Affiliation Extension with Minnesota Twins - Rochester Red Wings
- Clippers Are Red Hot - Columbus Clippers
- International League Players Of The Week - IL1
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