Express Holds off Late Bulls Rally
Published on May 10, 2026 under International League (IL)
Durham Bulls News Release
Durham, NC --- Josh Stephan fanned nine across five shutout innings to lead the Round Rock Express past the Durham Bulls 3 - 2 on Sunday afternoon at the DBAP.
Stephan (W, 2- 2), who struck out 11 on Tuesday over six innings, whiffed nine more as the Express (15 -24) won the final two games of the six - game set.
Brody Hopkins tossed three scoreless for Durham (15 - 24), but needed 70 pitches to cover the frames.
Cam Hill (L, 1 - 2) permitted three runs over 2 2/3 innings to absorb the loss.
Cooper Kinney doubled home two in the bottom of the ninth against Ryan Brasier (S, 2), but was stranded at second base as Tatem Levins and Brock Jones fanned to close out the 3 - 2 Durham loss.
With the game scoreless in the fifth, Michael Helman drilled a solo homer against Hill to put Round Rock up 1 - 0.
After a single and steal by Trevor Hauver, Richie Martin stroked a single to bring Hauver home for a 2- 0 advantage.
Round Rock scored a run in the sixth on a single by Cooper Johnson for a 3 - 0 lead.
Durham's best early - game opportunity to score was in the fourth inning when, after a Gavin Lux single, Dom Keegan blasted a ball to the centerfield wall that was caught by a leaping Gilberto Celestino.
Celestino then hurled a one - hop throw to first base to double up Lux.
Blake Sabol collected two of Durham's six hits, going 2 - 4 with a double.
The Bulls won their first series of the season, taking four of six from the Express.
After an off - day on Monday, the Bulls venture to Gwinnett to play the Stripers for the first of 24 times this season.
Notes: Hopkins tossed five scoreless against Round Rock on Tuesday, needing 84 pitches, and labored through three scoreless innings on 70 pitches.
Hopkins stranded six baserunners.... Joe Rock (1.1IP) and Trevor Martin (1IP) each delivered perfect relief appearances... Top prospects Carson Williams and Homer Bush Jr had Sunday off, but Bush entered the game defensively in the eighth in centerfield and fanned in his only plate appearance... The Bulls, who lead Triple - A with the most offensive strikeouts, struck out 18 times on Sunday.
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