WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Bulls Win Second Straight Over Charlotte

Apr 27, 2007

FORT MILL, S.C. — Jeff Niemann earned his first Triple-A win, as the Durham Bulls beat the Charlotte Knights by the same 5-2 score for the second straight day.

Durham now has won two straight after five straight defeats.

The Bulls gave Niemann a 3-0 lead in the second, as Dustan Mohr, just off the disabled list, doubled to score Shawn Riggans. Elliott Johnson's two-out, two-run homer to left capped the rally against lefty Heath Phillips (2-2).

After Charlotte scored in the second on an Andy Gonzalez sacrifice fly, the Bulls tacked on another run in the third when Joel Guzman belted hit his third homer, a colossal blast to left.

Wiki Gonzalez answered with a line drive that just cleared the left-center field wall in the bottom of the frame.

Niemann, who walked two and struck out five, settled down, leaving runners on base in the third and fourth before a 1-2-3 fifth. Tim Corcoran then threw two scoreless innings to get the game to 4-2 in the eighth.

Jeff Ridgway walked the first two hitters, but Seth McClung came on to get a 4-6-3 double play, then walked Gonzalez before striking out Casey Rogowski to end the threat.

Wes Bankston then doubled in a two-out run in the ninth for insurance. Chad Orvella picked up his second save in as many nights with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Jorge Velandia highlighted a 12-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with a walk.

The Bulls are home Saturday at 5 p.m. against Charlotte, with righty Andy Sonnanstine on the mound.