DJ Stewart continued his torrid stretch at the plate with three hits and two runs batted in, but the Durham Bulls doubled up the Tides 8-4 Wednesday night at Harbor Park.
DJ Stewart continued his torrid stretch at the plate with three hits and two runs batted in, but the Durham Bulls doubled up the Tides 8-4 Wednesday night at Harbor Park.
Stewart registered two singles and an RBI triple in the contest to up his average to .460 (23-50) through 15 games in May. The 24-year-old out of Florida State now has a league-best 25 RBI this month, and he's recorded more three-hit games (five) than hitless games (three) in May. For the season, he's now batting .299 with eight home runs, 33 RBI and a team-best .409 on-base percentage.
Chance Sisco helped pace Norfolk's eight-hit attack with two singles and a walk, while Ryan Mountcastle and Christopher Bostick each added a double and a run scored.
Norfolk starter Keegan Akin took the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits over 3.2 innings of work. Akin struck out seven - including striking out the side in the first frame - but needed 81 pitches to navigate his outing. He gave up a run-scoring bunt single to Keon Wong in the third frame before allowing a two-run homer to Mike Brosseau in the fourth inning.
Akin now owns a 3.92 ERA through nine starts this season, registering 14 more strikeouts (52) than hits allowed (38) over 43.2 innings pitched.
Matt Wotherspoon followed Akin with 2.1 shutout innings of relief, continuing a strong stretch for the right-hander out of the Tides bullpen. Wotherspoon did not allow a hit over his outing, giving him three consecutive scoreless appearances in which he's allowed just two hits over 10.0 innings of work. He owns a 2.96 ERA and has held opposing hitters to a .195 average against through 13 outings (one start) this season.
Christian Arroyo homered as part of a three-hit game to help pace the Bulls, who improved to 14-6 in May with the victory. Ricardo Pinto (2-0) earned the win, allowing two runs on three hits over 5.0 innings of relief.
The two clubs will wrap up their three-game series on Thursday afternoon at Harbor Park, with first pitch set for 12:05. Luis Ortiz (1-3, 6.98) is slated to make the start for Norfolk, with airtime on ESPN Radio 94.1 schedule for 11:50 am.
Notes: Norfolk saw its string of 11 consecutive games without making an error end when Christopher Bostick committed a throwing error in the third inning…Cedric Mullins reached base safely three times and made a running catch in the right-center field gap to deny Mike Brosseau of an extra-base hit…Durham's 27-17 record is the best in the International League…With a walk and a sacrifice fly Wednesday, Jace Peterson has now hit .328 with eight RBI and a .440 on-base percentage in May.
