Bulls Bullpen Struggles Lead to 6-4 Defeat vs Charlotte

DURHAM NC – The Durham Bulls (9-6) fell short to the Charlotte Knights (7-8) 6-4 on Thursday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. After taking the first two of the six-game series by a combined score of 12-6, it looked like the Bulls would ease their way to a third consecutive victory. However, it got spoiled due to a late-game comeback by the Knights.

27-year-old David Hess received his second start of the season for the Bulls, pitching four effective innings. He surrendered five hits, two earned runs, and recorded seven strikeouts on 63 pitches.

It was the second consecutive appearance that Hess did not issue a free pass, but he did fail to get past the fourth inning. Something he has not been able to do so far during the early stages of the season. The long ball has continued to hurt Hess as it was the only damage that was done. Brian Goodwin had his number, homering twice in the second and fourth innings. The breakout night gives the former Washington National three total on the year.

The first run of the evening for the Bulls came in the bottom half second by their back stopper Brett Sullivan. Sullivan connected on a base knock to right field that brought in Luis Gonzalez to tie the ballgame at 1-1. Following Goodwin’s second long ball of the night in the fourth, the Bulls put up two more in the sixth and one in the seventh to take a 4-2 advantage. The damage was mostly from mental errors committed by Knights pitcher Jacob Lindgren who threw a wild pitch, and catcher Seby Zavala allowing a passed ball in the same frame. 

Following the outing by Hess, the Bulls bullpen would put up an up-and-down performance. Adam Conley, the newest member of the Rays organization, tossed two perfect innings with a strikeout. Tyler Zombro followed Conley in perfect fashion as well, going one inning and adding a strikeout.

Ryan Sherriff ran into trouble in the top of the eighth as he went onto blow lead, allowing four hits, three earned runs, one walk, and struck out one. Tim Beckham, a former Bull, came up clutch, delivering a two-RBI single with the bases loaded to retake a 5-4 lead, which became a 6-4 victory. 

The Bulls outplayed the Knights most of the night, but unfortunately, the downfall of the bullpen was the storyline of the game. Following the rough defeat, the Bulls will have the opportunity to get revenge against these same Knights. Finishing up their series over the weekend at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.