WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Bulls End Skid, Beat Charlotte

Apr 26, 2007

(Fort Mill, SC) The Bulls (8-14) snapped a five-game losing streak on Thursday, beating Charlotte (9-11) 5-2. A three-run fourth was the difference as the Knights left 15 runners stranded.

Four Bulls pitchers combined to hold Charlotte scoreless after the Knights collected single tallies in the first and second against lefty J.P. Howell (1-3).

Steve Andrade worked out of a bases-loaded one-out jam in the sixth, striking out Josh Fields and Ernie Young. Scott Dohman worked through a scoreless seventh and eighth, fanning Pedro Lopez and Fields to end the frame. Then Chad Orvella earned his second save by striking out Casey Rogowski with the tying runs on base.

The Bulls took the lead against Vladimir Nunez (1-2) with a one-out rally. Chris Richard walked, and advanced to second on an infield single by Shawn Riggans that hit the third base bag. Ruggiano then followed with a triple into the right field corner, scoring both runners. Matthew Maniscalco then capped the scoring with a base hit past a drawn-in infield.

Ruggiano was the only Bull with a multi-hit game, as he had two hits, a run scored and three RBI. Richard was 1-for-1 with three walks and two runs scored.

Durham looks to win the second game of the four-game home-and-home series on Friday. Jeff Niemann starts for the Bulls.