Sellout crowd watches Bulls fall, 5-4
July 3, 2005 - International League (IL1)
Durham Bulls News Release
Durham, NC - Former Durham Bull Felix Escalona laced a two-run single to left field in the top of the eighth inning to plate the deciding runs as the Columbus Clippers knocked off the Bulls, 5-4 on Sunday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Columbus improves to 48-36 on the season while Durham falls to 39-46.
Columbus jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when third baseman Andy Phillips hit an RBI-double to center field, scoring left fielder Kevin Thompson from first base. The Clippers went ahead 2-0 in the top of the third when Melky Cabrera hit his third home run of the season, a solo shot to left.
Durham took their first lead of the night with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Jeff Deardorff led off the inning with his 10th homer of the season, a solo blast over the left field wall. After Fernando Cortez hit a single to right, the second baseman stole second and then advanced to third on a throwing error by Clippers catcher Dave Parrish. Reggie Taylor followed with an RBI-double to left, tying the game at 2-2. Earl Snyder singled to left one out later scoring Taylor and giving the Bulls a 3-2 lead.
Columbus tied the game at three runs apiece in the top of the fifth and then took a 5-3 lead by scoring two runs in the eighth inning. Phillips and first baseman Mitch Jones scored on Escalona's single to give the Clippers the two-run lead.
Bulls catcher Tim Laker gave the crowd of 10,712 hope by leading off the bottom of the ninth with his seventh home run of the season, however, that was as close as the Bulls would get as Clippers relief pitcher Sam Marsonek retired the next three batters to pick up his sixth save of the season.
Matt Smith (1-0) picked up his first win of the year, holding the Bulls to one hit and no runs in 0.1 innings pitched. Bulls relief pitcher Franklin Nunez (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season, allowing two runs (one earned, one unearned) on one hit in 1.0 innings of work.
Durham hosts Toledo tomorrow night at 5:00 p.m. in the first game of a two-game series. Tickets are available at www.durhambulls.com or by phone at (919) 956-BULL.
International League Stories from July 3, 2005
- Give Indianapolis 15 More Hits And Another 8-4 Victory Over Louisville - Indianapolis Indians
- Too Little Too Late as Bats Lose, 8-4 - Louisville Bats
- Tides win before big crowd - Norfolk Tides
- Sellout crowd watches Bulls fall, 5-4 - Durham Bulls
- Braves @ Toledo game preview - Gwinnett Stripers
- Braves @ Toledo game preview - Gwinnett Stripers
- Bisons Notes 7-3-2005 - Buffalo Bisons
- Greisinger takes no-no into 7th - Gwinnett Stripers
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