Friday, June 26, 2009

Durham Bulls Lose 4-2 To Toledo Mud Hens

Durham Bulls[Via email from the Durham Bulls' broadcaster Neil Solondz.]

Jon Weber hit his league-leading 24th double to give Durham a 1-0 first-inning lead, but it was short-lived on Thursday in a 4-2 loss to Toledo.

Weber’s RBI double came shortly after an hour and 38-minute rain delay against starter Scot Drucker (5-2).

After allowing one baserunner over the first two innings, Carlos Hernandez (4-4) walked the leadoff batter in the third after he was ahead 0-2 on number eight hitter Mike Hessman, the IL MVP in 2007. Dane Sardinha then hit a 3-1 pitch that barely cleared the wall in left and hit the foul pole for his first homer of the year and a 2-1 lead.

The Mud Hens then scored a pair of two-out runs in the fifth against Hernandez on a double by Clete Thomas and a Brent Clevlen single. The inning was set up by a leadoff walk to Sardinha.

Durham did battle back though, as the bullpen combination of Calvin Medlock and Dewon Day threw three scoreless innings to keep the contest close. The Bulls scored a run on three hits in the seventh and had the tying runs at the corners with one out. Matt Joyce was called on a questionable 3-2 pitch against Clay Rapada. Then Justin Ruggiano flew out to right against Casey Fien to end the threat. Durham had the tying runs on base in the eighth but Fien induced the third 6-4-3 double-play ball of the night.

Durham (40-34) had just six hits, and was unable to take advantage of five walks and three hit batters. The Bulls, now 1-2 on an eight-game road trip, remain just a game out of first in the South Division.

Jason Cromer starts for Durham on Friday as the Bulls wrap up the series with Toledo. Coverage on 99.9 the Fan begins at 6:55 with first pitch at 7.

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