Norfolk scores 7 in first, hold off Durham 8-4 to win South Division
The Durham Bulls fell to the Norfolk Tides 8-4 on Sunday evening at the DBAP, as the Tides scored seven runs in the first inning and wrapped up the IL South Division crown.
Norfolk (78-65), which clinched its first IL South Division title since 2005, struck for seven runs in the first inning. Henry Urrutia scored on an error for the first run, and two batters later, Sharlon Schoop singled home Rey Navarro for a 2-0 lead.
After a bases-loaded walk extended the lead to three, Julio Borbon delivered an infield single that scored another run. A ground out scored the fifth run of the inning, before Urrutia’s two-run double put Norfolk ahead 7-0.
The Bulls (73-70) fought back though, starting in the second frame. Corey Brown and Ryan Brett knocked back-to-back singles to start the frame, and Brown scored on a throwing error by Norfolk starter Tyler Wilson. Two batters later Jose Constanza doubled, scoring Brett to cut the deficit to 7-2.
In the third Durham scored a pair once again, this time as Cameron Seitzer punched a two-run single to centerfield to score Brown and Brett and make it a three-run game.
In the fifth Norfolk struck for another run, as David Lough’s sacrifice fly to right field scored Christian Walker to extend the lead to 8-4. Both teams were held scoreless the rest of the way, sending the Tides to their first playoff berth in a decade.
Dana Eveland (4-0) earned the win in relief for Norfolk, tossing four scoreless innings and striking out three. Southpaw Scott Diamond (11-6) took the loss for the Bulls, surrendering eight runs (four earned) on eight hits over six innings.
Brett finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored for Durham, and Boog Powell delivered a single to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games.
Durham concludes its season at 1:05 p.m. Monday against the Norfolk Tides at the DBAP. RHP Jared Mortensen (1-0, 6.75) takes the hill for the Bulls opposite RHP Elih Villanueva (4-4, 4.82) for the Tides.
Sunday’s box score
Norfolk | ab | r | h | bi |
Urrutia rf | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Navarro ss | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Walker 1b | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Perez c | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Lough lf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Schoop 2b | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Halton dh | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Borbon cf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Almanzar 3b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Totals | 35 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
Durham | ab | r | h | bi |
Powell cf | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Souza dh | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Motter ss | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Brown rf | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Rickard ph-rf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Brett 2b | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Seitzer 1b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Elmore 3b | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Constanza lf | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Acosta c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Franklin ph | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Totals | 35 | 4 | 9 | 3 |
Norfolk | 700 | 010 | 000 | — | 8 | 9 | 2 |
Durham | 022 | 000 | 000 | — | 4 | 9 | 1 |
E — Wilson, Navarro, Elmore. DP–Norfolk 3, Durham 1. LOB–Norfolk 5, Durham 5. 2B–Urrutia, Walker, Constanza, Brett. SF–Lough. SB–Constanza 1 (9).
NorfolkIP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |
Wilson | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
Eveland (W, 4-0) | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Oliver | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Beato | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
DurhamIP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |
Diamond (L, 11-6) | 6 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
Bird | 12/3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Bellatti | 11/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
This story was originally published September 6, 2015 at 9:25 PM with the headline "Norfolk scores 7 in first, hold off Durham 8-4 to win South Division."