Sounds Beat Bulls 3-1
Bulls catcher Rene Pinto and second baseman Jonathan Aranda each tallied two hits and four Durham relievers combined for six and two-thirds scoreless innings, however Nashville starter Jason Alexander tossed five scoreless frames and third baseman Mark Mathias clubbed two hits, including a two-run first-inning double, in the Sounds’ 3-1
Bulls catcher Rene Pinto and second baseman Jonathan Aranda each tallied two hits and four Durham relievers combined for six and two-thirds scoreless innings, however Nashville starter Jason Alexander tossed five scoreless frames and third baseman Mark Mathias clubbed two hits, including a two-run first-inning double, in the Sounds’ 3-1 victory on Friday evening at First Horizon Park.
Nashville got all three of their scores in the opening frame courtesy of Abraham Almonte’s RBI single and Mathias’ two-run two-bagger. The Bulls ended the Sounds’ shutout hopes in the eighth thanks to SS Tristan Gray’s run-scoring single to right. Gray would represent the tying run, however Durham was unable to narrow the deficit any further.
Pinto (2-2, BB) and Aranda (2-4) led all Bulls batters with two hits apiece, while Mathias (2-3, 2B, 2 RBI) was the lone Sounds hitter to record a multi-hit effort. Aranda’s two-hit game marked his third multi-hit effort in four games with Durham to start the season.
Alexander (5.0 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K) earned the win, yielding two hits and a walk over five shutout innings. Nashville relievers Luis Perdomo (1.0 IP, 2 H, K), J.C. Mejia (1.0 IP, BB, K), Miguel Sanchez (1.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER, BB, 2 K) and Luke Barker (1.0 IP, H, K) combined for the final four frames, with Barker notching the save. Bulls southpaw Zack Erwin (1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, K) suffered the defeat, while relievers Phoenix Sanders (2.1 IP, 2 K), Dalton Moats (2.0 IP, 2 H), Ryan Thompson (1.0 IP, H, BB, K) and Joel Peguero (1.0 IP, K) joined forces to toss the final 6.1 scoreless innings.
The two teams are slated to continue their six-game series on Saturday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 7:35pm ET. Durham’s starter has not yet been determined, while the Sounds are slated to give the nod to RHP Josh Lindblom.
The Bulls begin their 2022 home slate at Durham Bulls Athletic Park with a six-game series versus the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Tuesday, April 12. First pitch for Opening Night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park is scheduled for 6:35pm.