Syracuse Chiefs 6, Durham Bulls 2

[Via email from Neil Solondz of the Durham Bulls.]

(Syracuse, NY) Dan Johnson hit his team-leading 16th homer, but it was one of only five Bulls hits in a 6-2 loss on Sunday at Syracuse. The loss snapped Durham's four-game win streak.

After Kevin Mench's bases-loaded single in the third gave Syracuse a 2-0 lead, the Bulls answered in the fourth against Shairon Martis (3-4). Johnson hit the first pitch of the inning over the wall in right. After two singles and an error, Desmond Jennings drove home the tying run with a groundout, but the Bulls left the lead run at third.

Syracuse answered right back as Bill Rhinehart homered to right with two out in the bottom of the fourth off Aneury Rodriguez (2-4) for a 3-2 advantage. It was Rhinehart's first Triple-A homer, and it came in his first start for Syracuse.

The Chiefs stretched the lead to 5-2 in the sixth when Justin Maxwell hit a two-run homer to right center off Jason Cromer, Maxwell's second in as many days. Syracuse added a run in the eighth on a Devan Ivany sac fly. The Chiefs took advantage of nine walks by three Bulls pitchers.

Durham was held to five hits, as Martis and Atahualpa Severino (first save) held the top scoring team in the IL in check. Matt Joyce was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.

The Bulls (33-24), 5-2 on the road trip, and 7.5 games in front in the South Division, close out the trip on Monday. Richard De Los Santos meets Erik Arnesen in a matchup of righties. Coverage on 620 the Buzz begins at 6:45, with first pitch at 7.