Duncan Paces Bulls Past Mud Hens, 6-2

Toledo, OH --- Shelley Duncan had two hits, scored three runs and hit his 10th home run to lead Durham past Toledo 6-2 on Tuesday night at Fifth Third Field.

The Bulls (70-41) struck first against former Rays farmhand Kyle Lobstein. A three-hit opening inning was capped by a bloop single by Vince Belnome to bring home Tim Beckham for a 1-0 lead.

Durham hung two more in the third against Lobstein thanks to an error at second base by Kevin Russo, then a sacrifice fly to left by Ryan Roberts for a 3-0 lead. Cole Figueroa was hit on the left arm by a Lobstein pitch, was checked out by athletic trainer Mike Sandoval, but stayed in the game to score on the Russo error.

Toledo (48-64) scratched across its first run of the game in the fifth with a double and three straight walks by Kelly. Danny Dorn, fifth in the league in home runs, flied to center to end the inning stranding the bases loaded with the Bulls leading 4-1.

Jesus Flores hit a sac fly to score Shelley Duncan in the sixth, with Duncan lifting a home run to left in the eighth to put the Bulls up 6-1.

After Steve Geltz and Jeff Beliveau worked three perfect innings, Ramon Ramirez pitched the ninth and permitted a pair of two-out doubles to Bryan Holaday and Kevin Russo to draw the Mud Hens to within 6-2.

Kelly (W, 6-1) worked five innigs, allowing four hits and a run in earning his second straight victory.

Lobstein (L, 2-2) allowed eight hits, two walks and five runs to absorb the defeat for Toledo.

The Bulls moved to 3-2 on their eight-game Ohio road trip.

The second game of Durham's four-game series is Wednesday night at 7:00 PM with Matt Buschmann (5-0, 3.23) against Jair Jurrjens (6-6, 4.18).