Bulls Walk Off Again With 5-4 Win

Bulls first baseman Mike Ford smashed a grand slam and four relievers combined for four scoreless frames, while second baseman Esteban Quiroz clubbed a game-winning RBI single in Durham’s 5-4 walk-off win over the Gwinnett Stripers in front of a paid attendance of 10,360 fans on Sunday evening.

Early fireworks on the field gave way to five consecutive innings without a run from either side as the two teams entered the ninth tied at 4-4. 3B Tristan Gray led off with a double before giving way to pinch-runner Vidal Brujan, who then stole third to set the scene for Quiroz, who lined a 3-2 pitch to left to give Durham the victory.

After Gwinnett struck first with a three-run opening frame, Ford crushed a grand slam in the bottom of the first to give the Bulls a 4-3 lead. The Stripers would then even the contest at 4-4 in the third, with the score remaining the same until the final frame.

The walk-off victory was Durham’s second in as many contests following infielder Kevin Padlo’s game-winning RBI single last night. The Bulls have won five games this year in walk-off fashion.

Durham relievers Chris Mazza (1.0 IP, 2 K), Joey Krehbiel (1.0 IP, K), Louis Head (1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 K) and Adam Conley (1.0 IP, 2 K) combined to allow just two hits over four shutout innings in support of starter Joe Ryan (5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 7 K), with Conley earning the win. Gwinnett righty Yoan Lopez (0.1 IP, 3 H, R, ER, BB, K) suffered the defeat.

Following a league-wide off day on Monday, the Bulls are scheduled to start a six-game road series versus the Norfolk Tides on Tuesday, July 6. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm ET.

The Bulls return to Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Tuesday, July 13, to start a six-game series versus the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm ET. Tickets for that game and all other remaining Bulls home games are also available at durhambulls.com.