Bulls blank Tides to end regular season

On the season’s final day, the Durham Bulls earned a 6-0 win over the Norfolk Tides Monday afternoon at the DBAP, closing the season by winning 15 of their final 19 contests.

Right-hander Jared Mortensen (2-0), in just his second Triple-A start, went 7 2/3 frames, scattering seven hits and walking two while striking out seven. The 27-year-old avoided trouble early on, working out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the third inning and a two-on, two-out scenario in the fourth. After his exit, Jose Dominguez recorded the final four outs to preserve the team’s 13th shutout of the season.

The Bulls (74-70) scored in the very first inning when Taylor Motter launched a solo homer over the Blue Monster. In the fourth Motter struck again, this time launching a solo dinger over the Snorting Bull to lead off the frame and put the home side in front 2-0.

In the sixth Durham opened the game up, as Nick Franklin’s single scored Motter for a three-run advantage. With the bases loaded Jose Constanza was hit by a pitch to plate Corey Brown, and Wilmer Dominguez followed with a two-run single for a 6-0 lead.

Motter finished the afternoon 2-for-3, tying career-highs with two home runs and three runs scored. Motter’s two-hit game gave him an 11-game hitting streak to finish the season, while Brown’s 1-for-4 performance gave him a 14-game streak to close 2015.

Righty Elih Villanueva (4-5) took the loss for the visiting Tides (78-66), allowing two runs on three hits over five innings.

The Bulls finished tied for third in the IL South Division.

This story was originally published September 7, 2015 at 8:27 PM with the headline "Bulls blank Tides to end regular season."