Durham Bulls’ offense sputters in loss to Columbus Clippers
The Durham Bulls fell to the Columbus Clippers 2-1 Sunday afternoon at Huntington Park, dropping the rubber match of a three-game series and finishing their six-game road trip 2-4.
The Clippers (28-21) struck first, as former Bull Joey Butler drove home Jesus Aguilar on a groundout in the second inning. In the fifth the home side extended its lead when Guillermo Quiroz knocked a solo homer to left field.
The Bulls (20-31) plated a run in the sixth frame, as Daniel Robertson singled and Nick Franklin followed with a double to put runners on second and third. Richie Shaffer then grounded out, scoring Robertson and cutting the deficit to one run.
Durham couldn’t advance a runner to second base the rest of the way though, as it fell 11 games under .500 for the first time since the 2012 season.
TJ House (4-2) picked up the win for the Clippers by tossing six innings and allowing one run, while Ben Heller earned his first save of the year with a scoreless ninth. Southpaw Adam Wilk (1-6) lost his fourth straight start, despite allowing just two runs on four hits over six innings while striking out eight.
Sunday’s box score
Durham Bulls | ab | r | h | bi |
Beckham, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Robertson, 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Franklin, 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Shaffer, RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Varona, LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Decker, CF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arenciba, DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Maile, C | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Leonard, 1B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Totals | 31 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
Columbus Clippers | ab | r | h | bi |
Gonzalez, DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cowgill, RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Naquin, CF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Aguilar, 1B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Diaz, 3B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Butler, LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Rodriguez, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Quiroz, C | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Medina, SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Totals | 28 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
Durham | 000 | 001 | 000 | — | 1 | 7 | 0 |
Columbus | 010 | 010 | 00x | — | 2 | 5 | 1 |
E — Rodriguez. DP–Columbus 1. LOB–Durham 6, Carolina 5 2B–Varona, Franklin, Diaz. HR—Quiroz (6). SB–Medina (2). CS—Beckham, Robertson, Decker. PO—Beckham.
Durham Bulls IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |
Wilk (L, 1-6) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
Sappington | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Geltz | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Team IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |
House (W, 4-2) | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Sulser | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Heller (S, 1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
This story was originally published May 29, 2016 at 11:30 PM with the headline "Durham Bulls’ offense sputters in loss to Columbus Clippers."