Game 3: Bulls 6; Sounds 3

 Durham Bulls (Rays) 6; Nashville Sounds (Brewers) 3

Box, Season 2-1

The Bulls are off to a nice 2-1 start. They may be playing with some new technology this year (in addition to the larger bases). I have not heard if they are using this pitch-calling equipment yet.

From the Bulls press release:

BULLS’ HALEY HAMMERS SOUNDS 6-3

1B Jim Haley slams two homers, C Ford Proctor clubs 3 hits in victory

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Bulls first baseman Jim Haley crushed two home runs and catcher Ford Proctor smashed three hits, while southpaw Colin Poche fired a scoreless inning in his first outing in over two years in Durham’s 6-3 win over the Nashville Sounds on Thursday night at First Horizon Park.

Haley’s started the scoring with his first two-run blast in the third, which preceded Proctor’s line drive RBI single to left to put the Bulls ahead 3-0. After the Sounds evened the game with a trio of tallies in the fifth, Durham answered right back with a three-spot in the sixth highlighted by Haley’s second two-run shot of the night to retake a three-run advantage.

It was Haley’s second career multi-homer game, previously accomplishing that feat on May 20, 2019 with High-A Charlotte. It was the first time a Bulls player has homered twice in a game since August 29, 2021 when infielder Dalton Kelly bash two longballs against the Charlotte Knights. Proctor’s (3-4, RBI) three hits paced all batters from either side, with Haley joined by CF Ryan Boldt (2-5, R) in recording two hits.

Bulls reliever Chris Muller (1.2 IP, H, K) earned the win in his Triple-A debut, combining with Colin Poche (1.0 IP, BB, 2 K), Adrian De Horta (1.0 IP, H, BB, K) and Dusten Knight (1.0 IP, BB, K) for the final 4.2 scoreless frames. Knight notched the save, while Nashville reliever Connor Sadzeck (1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER) suffered the defeat. Poche received a hold in his first outing since 2019, missing the 2020 and 2021 campaigns after undergoing Tommy John surgery.