Bulls topple Tides 10-5, need 1 more win for IL title

Norfolk, Va. — Bulls right fielder Ruben Cardenas clubbed two hits, including a homer, and drove in three runs, while shortstop Tristan Gray left the yard and reached base in all five plate appearances, and third baseman Vidal Brujan broke the game open with a two-run double as part of a five-run eighth inning to give Durham a 10-5 victory over the Norfolk Tides in Game One of the International League Championship Series on Tuesday night at Harbor Park.

With the win, the Bulls take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, giving Durham a chance to earn their ninth International League Championship in Game Two on Wednesday evening. The winner of the three-game set will face the Pacific Coast League victory in the Triple-A National Championship Game in Las Vegas on Saturday, September 30.

Gray got the Bulls on the board with a 428-foot homer to right in the second, before Cardenas crushed a solo blast in the following frame to make it a 2-0 advantage. Norfolk would then even the contest in the last of the third before plating the go-ahead tally in the fifth. Cardenas would later come through in the seventh with his go-ahead two-run single to give the Bulls a lead they would not relinquish.

Durham would then add insurance in the following frame with their five-run eighth. C Logan Driscoll began the big inning with an RBI single to center to push the Bulls advantage to 5-3. 1B Evan Edwards would then draw a bases-loaded walk before Brujan bashed a two-run double to left to open the margin to 8-3 before the fifth run of the frame came across on fielder’s choice. Driscoll would then bring home this second run of the night with a single to right in the ninth before Norfolk plated two tallies in the ninth.

Cardenas (2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB), Gray (2-2, 3 R, 1 HR, 3 BB), Brujan (2-5, 1 2B, 2 RBI), and Driscoll (2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB) all collected two knocks in the victory. Including last season’s International League and Triple-A Championship title games, Gray has posted a multi-hit effort in all three of his career postseason contests with the Bulls.

Durham reliever Josh Fleming (2.0 IP, 4 SO) earned the victory with two scoreless frames in support of starter Cooper Criswell (2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 SO). Norfolk righty Garrett Stallings (5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO) suffered the defeat.

The two teams are set to square off in Game Two of their best-of-three series, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm at Harbor Park. RHP Carlos Garcia is anticipated to get the nod for the Bulls and be opposed by LHP Cole Irvin.

Stripers reliever Lucas Luetge (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) earned the victory with a scoreless frame as lefty Brian Moran (1.0 IP, 1 SO) notched the save. Bulls righty Javy Guerra (0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB), meanwhile, suffered the defeat.