Johnson's Four Hits Help Bulls Down Tides
Published on July 8, 2010 under International League (IL1)
Durham Bulls News Release
Durham, NC - The Bulls opened up their series against Norfolk with a 11-3 victory over their Southern Division foe. Elliot Johnson had four hits and four RBI to pace the Durham offensive attack, while Richard De Los Santos picked up his seventh victory of the season for the Bulls.
Durham got on the board in the bottom of the first against Norfolk right-hander Zach Clark. Desmond Jennings led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on an errant pickoff attempt. After a single by Elliot Johnson put men at the corners, Dan Johnson brought home the first run of the game with an RBI single to right. Joe Dillon followed with an RBI single to put the Bulls on top 2-0.
The early lead quickly evaporated as Norfolk struck back for three runs in the top of the second off De Los Santos. Blake Davis brought home a run on an RBI single and Jonathan Tucker followed with an RBI double to score former Bull Michel Hernandez, who reached on an error earlier in the frame. Matt Angle's sacrifice fly put the Tides on top, but the Bulls offense continued to put runs on the board against Clark.
Durham brought home a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings to build up a 6-3 advantage. Justin Ruggiano brought home Elliot Johnson with an RBI double. Chris Richard brought home Ruggiano later in the inning with an RBI double of his own to put the Bulls back on top 4-3. In the fourth inning, a two-run blast by Elliot Johnson made it a four-run cushion as the Bulls shortstop added his third hit of the game.
Fernando Perez would tack on another run in the fifth inning against Tides lefty Matt Hinckley, bringing home Angel Chavez with an RBI single to left with two outs.
De Los Santos made it through 5.2 innings of work, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits while walking three and striking two. The win for De Los Santos was his seventh of the season, tying him with Brian Baker for the second best mark on the season.
The Durham offense continued their attack in the seventh, adding three more off right-hander Cla Meredith to make it a 10-3 lead. Jose Lobaton had an RBI single, and Elliot Johnson capped the night off the inning with his fourth hit, a bases loaded two-run single. Ruggiano added a solo homer in the eighth, finishing off the scoring as the Bulls put up 10 runs or more for the 15th time this season.
Johnson finished the night 4-for-5 with three runs scored, a home run and four RBIs. It was his first four-hit game since April 30, 2006 as a member of Double-A Montgomery. His four RBI match a season high for the Bulls utility man, when he brought home four against Charlotte on April 22.
Joe Bateman added 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, while Mike Ekstrom worked the ninth in a non-save situation to close out the Bulls victory. The Bulls improve to 53-34 on the season, and put themselves 19 games above the .500 mark for the first time this season.
The two teams do battle again tomorrow, in the home finale for the Bulls close out the first half of the season. RHP Virgil Vasquez (3-0 4.44) takes the mound for the Bulls against RHP Tim Bascom (2-2 5.47) for Norfolk. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m.
International League Stories from July 8, 2010
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