Seven-Run Seventh Blasts Bulls Past Tides 10-4
September 24, 2022 – International League (IL) – Durham Bulls News Release
DURHAM, NC – Bulls first baseman Luke Raley ripped a go-ahead grand slam as part of a massive seven-run seventh inning, while right fielder Ruben Cardenas crushed two home runs in Durham’s 10-4 victory over the Norfolk Tides on Saturday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Bulls’ win along with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s loss to Lehigh Valley’s means Durham’s division lead is now one and a half games with four games left to play.
Entering the bottom of the seventh down 4-1, 3B Tristan Gray crushed a two-run blast to right, narrowing the deficit to one. SS Vidal Brujan would then draw a walk and move to third on CF Josh Lowe’s double before C Rene Pinto walked to set the scene for Raley, who pummeled the first pitch over the left-center field wall for a dramatic grand slam. Cardenas would then immediately crush his second longball of the evening to extend Durham’s advantage to 8-4 before the Bulls added two insurance tallies in the eighth.
Norfolk got on the board with a single tally in the first before plating another run in the fourth to go up 2-0. Cardenas’ first big fly of the night, a solo shot, cut the deficit to one in the last of the fourth. The Tides then increased their lead to 4-1 with a pair of scores in the sixth before Durham’s seventh-inning eruption.
Lowe (3-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 3B, RBI) led all Bulls batters with three hits and was joined by Cardenas (2-3, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI, BB) in recording a two-hit effort. Cardenas also left the yard once last night, giving him three roundtrippers over the last two nights.
Durham reliever Alan Strong (2.0 IP, H, 2 SO) earned the win in his Triple-A debut with two scoreless frames in support of starter Josh Fleming (5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB). Norfolk reliever Blaine Knight (0.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB) suffered the defeat.
The Bulls are set to conclude their final homestand of the year on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05pm. Durham’s starting pitcher has not yet been determined, while the Tides are anticipated to give the ball to RHP Denyi Reyes.
Tickets for all remaining 2022 Bulls home contests are still available and can be purchased at DurhamBulls.com.
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