Gameday Stories
July 05, 2007
BULLS SHUT OUT IN OPENER AT BUFFALO
(Buffalo, NY) Jae Kuk Ryu (2-3) was outdueled by Sean Smith on Thursday night in a 3-0 loss to North Division leader Buffalo.
Smith (7-5) allowed only four hits and three walks over the first seven innings, as the Bulls were shut out for the 12th time this season.
Ryu battled through the first five innings, allowing single runs in the second and fifth. In the second Andy Marte singled to left and went to second on a ground out. Ryu then threw a pitch in the dirt, and it appeared Marte was thrown out trying to advance to third. However, Marte was called safe, and Brad Snyder then singled off the glove of a leaping Chris Richard at first with the infield for a 1-0 lead.
In the fifth Hector Luna doubled to left to start the frame. Luis Rivas struck out, but Luna moved to third on a ground out by Joe Inglett. Ryan Mullhern then followed with a single to center for a 2-0 advantage.
Buffalo stretched the lead to 3-0 on Jonathan Van Every's infield hit off Juan Salas in the sixth.
The Bulls, who were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, and are 0-for-22 over the last two days, had their best chance in the seventh. After the first two hitters reached on an error, Smith got Elliott Johnson to ground out, Ben Zobrist to strike out, and Jason Pridie to bounce out to end the threat. The game was then halted by rain.
It resumed 45 minutes later, and Buffalo neither team got a runner past first base over the final two innings. Seth McClung struck out three in two hitless innings for Durham.
Durham (45-43) will look to bounce back on Friday at 7:25 p.m. with RHP Mitch Talbot on the mound. Coverage on 620 the Bull begins at 7 p.m.
