Durham Bulls 7, Columbus Clippers 3

[Via email from Neil Solondz, Bulls Broadcaster.]

(Columbus, OH) Ryan Shealy's sixth inning grand slam backed Heath Phillips, as Durham beat Columbus 7-3 on Saturday night for the team's fourth straight win.

Leading 2-0 heading into the sixth inning, Justin Ruggiano and Dan Johnson drew one-out walks against Carlos Carrasco (2-2). Joe Dillon followed with a ground single to left on an 0-2 pitch, scoring Ruggiano. Carrasco, injured while backing home plate, left for Jess Todd.

Todd got a ground ball against Chris Richard, but Wes Hodges misplayed it at first for an error, loading the bases. Todd then got ahead of Shealy, 1-and-2, but Shealy fouled a pitch off before hitting Durham's first grand slam of the season to center for a 7-0 lead. Shealy now has seven homers, and has gone deep in two straight games and four of the last five.

Durham had scored single runs in the first two innings against Carrasco on a Ruggiano RBI groundout, and a Richard double. That was enough for Heath Phillips (3-3). Phillips allowed just three hits over the first six innings before allowing three two-out runs in the seventh. After giving up a base hit, RJ Swindle and Dale Thayer retired the final seven Columbus hitters to close out the game.

Durham, now 23-14, has the IL's best record, one game better than the Clippers, who lead the West Division at 22-15. The Bulls, 2-0 on an eight-game road trip, will send Aneury Rodriguez (2-1) to the mound on Sunday afternoon against Josh Tomlin in a match-up of righties. Coverage on 620 the Buzz begins at 12:50 p.m. with first pitch at 1:05.