Bulls Close Out Home Stand with Rout of Gwinnett

[Game recap provided by Matt DeMargel of the Durham Bulls.]

Durham, NC - The Bulls offense blasted four home runs to close out their 11-game home stand with an 11-0 victory over Gwinnett on Monday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. First baseman Dan Johnson had his second multi-homer game in four games, while Jeremy Hellickson shutout the Braves over 6.0 innings of work for his 11th victory of the season.

The Bulls put up nine runs over the first three innings off Gwinnett left-hander Jose Ortegano. Justin Ruggiano started the scoring with an RBI single in the first, and came around on a three-run blast by Dan Johnson to give the Bulls a 4-0 first inning lead.

In the third inning, Durham added five more runs off Ortegano. Joe Dillon singled with the bases loaded to drive in a pair of runs and snap out of a 1-for-28 slump. Jose Lobaton followed later in the inning with a three-run blast off the building in left field for his sixth home run of the season.

With a nine-run advantage, Hellickson set down the Braves hitters and kept the large lead in tact. Despite walking four over six-innings of work, Hellickson stayed out of trouble by getting three double-plays turned behind him to keep the Braves off the board. His 11 wins on the season tie him with Charlotte’s Dan Hudson for most in the International League.

Alvin Colina added a run in the fifth inning with a solo home run to dead center field off right-hander Cory Gearrin to make it a 10-run lead. It was the seventh home run of the season for Colina, and third against the Braves this season, the team for which he played in 2009.

Dan Johnson added his second home run of the game in the seventh inning, a solo shot to the opposite field in left against Vladimir Nunez. It was the third time this season Johnson has struck for two homers in the same game and fourth time a Bull has done so this season. The left-hander leads the IL with 25 homers and 75 RBI for the season.

Brian Baker worked 2.0 innings of scoreless relief for the Bulls, and Dale Thayer returned from the DL to pitch a scoreless ninth inning in his first appearance since June 26.

The Bulls close out their 11-game home stand with a record of 8-3, improving to 51-33 on the season. The Bulls head to Charlotte tomorrow for quick two-game set against 2nd place Charlotte before heading home to take on Norfolk on Thursday, July 8. LHP Carlos Hernandez (6-3 3.14) gets the starting nod tomorrow, he will be matched up against RHP Carlos Torres (6-5 3.29) for the Knights, game time is set for 7:05 p.m.