Franco returns as the Bulls win another series, while the Mudcats struggle on the road

Kyle Williams
·3 min read

Aided by former top prospect Wander Franco returning to the Durham Bulls (39-33) for a rehab assignment, the Bulls continued their winning ways with a series win against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (38-34). Meanwhile, the Carolina Mudcats (34-35) were swept in their series against the Down East Wood Ducks (31-33).

Pitching leads way for the Bulls

Franco smoked a ball during Thursday’s game that almost left the ballpark. In Franco’s three-game sojourn with the Bulls, the Rays shortstop hit .333 with a double and two walks.

David Hess returned to the mound in Game 1 of the series after being diagnosed with a cancerous germ cell tumor in October, throwing a 1-2-3 inning. After allowing nine runs in the 9-3 loss to begin the series, the pitching staff hunkered down and limited the Wood Ducks to two runs or fewer over the next five games.

Easton McGee hurled six shutout innings in the Bulls’ 3-2 victory in Game 2, extending his shutout innings streak to 12. Second baseman Xavier Edwards (3) and first baseman Jim Haley (11) each homered to power the offense.

Five Bulls’ pitchers combined for a 2-0 shutout in Game 3 of the series. Tommy Romero, Ben Bowden, Cristofer Ogando, Dusten Knight, and Javy Guerra combined to allow two runs and nine hits while striking out nine. Haley knocked his 12th homer of the season to help pace the offense.

In Game 4, Luke Bard allowed two runs in two innings of work before turning over the game to the bullpen in the 4-2 win. Kevin Herget took the ball and threw five scoreless innings, striking out four. Joel Peguero and Chris Muller continued Herget’s ways and blanked the Jump Shrimp in their two innings combined.

After the Bulls’ bats dried up in a 1-0 loss in Game 5, they bounced back in the series finale, winning 6-2. Brady Williams picked up his 200th win manager of the Bulls following Sunday’s game

The Bulls are fourth in the International League’s East Division, ahead of Worcester (Boston). The Bulls next travel to Charlotte for a five-game series against the Knights.

Mudcats swept

The Mudcats were swept in their six-game series against the Down East Wood Ducks (Texas) last week. Carolina couldn’t muster enough offense in the series, scoring just nine runs — five in Sunday’s contest alone — across the six games.

Jefferson Quero homered in the series-opener, and Edwin Jimenez tossed a career-high six innings in the 5-2 loss. Karlos Morales gave up two innings in relief.

The Mudcats were shut out in Game 2 of the series before dropping Game 3, spoiling a tremendous performance by Alexander Cornielle. Cornielle tossed 5.2 innings, allowing just two earned runs and striking out 11 batters. Abimelec Ortiz stroked a walk-off home run in Game 3 for Down East.

The Wood Ducks handily won the fourth game of the series, 6-0, scoring all six runs in the fifth inning. Down East held the Mudcats’ bats to one hit — the first time all season Carolina failed to get more than a single hit — in Game 5. Mitch Bratt threw five no-hit innings with seven strikeouts.

Despite homers from Jheremy Vargas, Jackson Chourio, and Hedbert Perez, the Mudcats fell 7-5 in the series finale.

The Mudcats return home for their next series against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (32-36).

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Ferocious solar storm could give US rare view of northern lights

    Noaa issues warning for extreme G5 geomagnetic storm whose effects are due to last through weekend and possibly into next week

  • Santana hits tiebreaking HR as Twins beat Blue Jays for 16th win in 18 games

    Carlos Santana hit a tiebreaking home run in the fifth inning, Joe Ryan pitched seven innings and the Minnesota Twins won for the 16th time in 18 games by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Friday night. Carlos Correa had two hits and scored twice as the Twins won for the ninth time in their past 13 games in Toronto. Jose Miranda added an RBI single as the Twins, who successfully brought their lucky sausage across the Canadian border, extended their road winning streak to seven.

  • Santana's solo shot lifts Twins over Blue Jays 3-2 in rematch of wild-card series

    TORONTO — Carlos Santana's go-ahead home run in the fifth inning lifted the Minnesota Twins over the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Friday. Jose Miranda's RBI single in the first inning opened the scoring as Minnesota (23-15) won its third straight. Pinch-hitter Max Kepler added another RBI single in the ninth. Joe Ryan (2-2) struck out seven over seven innings, giving up one run on six hits. Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax came out of the Twins bullpen to preserve the win. Isiah Kiner-Falefa's home run i

  • Friends and family of murdered Mexico surfers say the men weren’t reckless, they were nature lovers

    After the brutal murders of three men on a surfing trip in Baja last month, loved ones are finding comfort that surfers have been traveling to the region for decades. Andrea Cavallier reports

  • Toronto tops Minnesota 2-0 to sit one win away from PWHL final

    TORONTO — Jesse Compher scored the go-ahead goal with 1:25 left in the third period to give Toronto a 2-0 win and 2-0 lead in its best-of-five semifinal series against Minnesota in Professional Women's Hockey League playoff action on Friday. Hannah Miller added an empty-netter for top-seeded Toronto in front of 8,581 fans at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Kristen Campbell earned her second straight shutout with 21 saves. She had a 26-save shutout in a 4-0 Game 1 win Wednesday. Maddie Rooney stopped 28 shot

  • Sanctions Be Damned, Putin’s War Machine Is Still Powered by U.S. Parts

    Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/GettyOver two years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Putin’s aircraft still use U.S., Japanese, and European components. A forthcoming report from the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission, a Ukrainian think tank known as NAKO, found shocking evidence that components from hundreds of foreign companies are present in Russian military planes. Of those foreign made components, over 60 percent came from American manufacturers such

  • Striking Matheson workers reject agreement

    BLACK RIVER-MATHESON - After reaching a tentative deal with the township last week, striking Matheson workers have voted to reject the agreement. On May 10, CUPE Local 1490 released an announcement with the news of its decision to reject the town's offer. “We are continuing to stand up for our principles and our values to achieve an agreement that’s fair," Serge Bouchard, president of CUPE Local 1490, said in the release. “We will be seeking to return to the table and resume negotiations with th

  • Honolulu agrees to 4-month window to grant or deny gun carrying licenses after lawsuit over delays

    Honolulu has agreed to grant or deny applications to carry guns in public within four months of submission in response to a lawsuit by residents who complained of delays of up to a year, according to a stipulation signed by a federal judge Friday. The March lawsuit alleged that the long delays were the city’s way of keeping the permitting process as restrictive as it was before a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in a case, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, that upended gun laws nationwide. Before the Bruen decision, which held that people have a right to carry for self-defense, Hawaii’s county police chiefs rarely issued licenses for either open or concealed carry.

  • What the papers say – May 11

    A range of stories feature on the front of the nation’s newspapers on Saturday.

  • Matheson holds first meeting since council was given the boot

    BLACK RIVER-MATHESON - A Northern Ontario township has held its first meeting since its council was kicked out last month. A special council meeting was held today (May 10) by provincial bureaucrat Kathy Horgan, manager of local government and housing for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing's northern regional office. Horgan has been appointed to make any decisions of council until a new council is elected. "The procedures followed for council meetings will be followed and modified as

  • 15 Best Places in Montana for A Couple to Live On Only Social Security

    This article takes a look at the 15 best places in Montana for a couple to live on only Social Security. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis on “Un-retiring” and choosing the Big Sky Country, you may go to 5 Best Places in Montana for A Couple to Live On Only Social Security. […]

  • Care for mothers in CBB custody

    Care for mothers in CBB custody

  • Edmonton family awaits sentencing decision for man convicted of killing 7-year-old girl

    WARNING: This story contains graphic details of violence.Rows of people wearing shirts with the message "justice for Bella" sat in an Edmonton courtroom Friday as a recording of a young girl's voice began.The last victim impact statement from family members of seven-year-old Bella Desrosiers came from her little sister, who was just four when her sibling was stabbed in their bedroom on May 18, 2020.She was there as Desrosiers was attacked by David Moss, and had to run from the room as the girls'

  • 18-Year-Old Found Dead at Movie Theater Parking Lot 2 Days After Going Missing

    There is "no evidence of foul play at this time," according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

  • Peel Region calls on Ontario to pay for transition board's bills

    Peel regional councillors are asking Doug Ford's government to pay for the provincially appointed board initially meant to oversee the region's dissolution but now focused on reducing bureaucratic overlap, arguing it's unfair for Peel taxpayers to have to foot the bill.The decision to request the province to take care of the bill came this week as the regional council discussed the mounting cost of the board — so far totalling $4.2 million, according to a news release by regional chair — months

  • Strong solar storm hits Earth, could disrupt communications and produce northern lights in US

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An unusually strong solar storm hitting Earth could produce northern lights in the U.S. this weekend and potentially disrupt power and communications. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning when a solar outburst reached Earth on Friday afternoon, hours sooner than anticipated. The effects were due to last through the weekend and possibly into next week. NOAA alerted operators of power plants and spacecraft in

  • Who Was RFK Jr.’s Brain Worm? All the Possibilities, Ranked

    Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Reuters/Everett CollectionThis week:I hope you’re all watching Hacks.Who was RFK’s brain worm? What’s her story?All the important news from the Met Gala.The Taylor-Travis reign of terror returns.Important Reba update!Possible RFK Brain Worms, RankedI, like most of America, have not stopped thinking about the story that doctors found a dead worm in Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s brain. It’s a “well, that certainly explains things” anecdote in an era

  • Weekend freeway projects underway across the Valley (May 10-13)

    The weekend is here and so are freeway projects! Be sure to check for closures and lane restrictions before heading out.

  • KCRA 3 team remembers promotions producer Chris King

    KCRA 3 is saddened to share the loss of a member of our creative services team. On Monday, Chris King was involved in a car crash and did not survive his injuries. Chris worked behind the scenes as a senior promotions producer. He was part of the KCRA 3 team for the last 16 years.

  • First congressional hearing held on tribal land

    The first congressional hearing was held on tribal land Friday. The committee discussed ways to empower Native American and rural communities.