The Durham Bulls Opening Day festivities were set to include a post-game fireworks show for fans to enjoy. No one told the players on the field and the Bulls provided a premature offensive fireworks show against the Knights, clubbing 14 hits en route to a 7-3 win.
The Bulls scored five runs in the second inning to blow the game open, and rode 2015 Minor League Player of the Year Blake Snell all the way home for the victory. Snell, a lanky 6-foot-4 lefthander who is ranked as the top prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays’ minor league organization, fired five innings, allowed just two runs on five hits to earn the victory.
Snell enters 2016 with big expectations after going 15-4 with a 1.41 ERA between three different minor league teams in the Rays’ farm system last season. The 23 year old struck out 163 batters between the three teams last year and picked up right where he left off with five strikeouts in the contest. He easily out-dueled Knights starter Scott Carroll, who lasted only 1.1 innings and allowed five runs on six hits and took the loss.
“We were looking at five innings or eighty pitches for Snell,” Bulls manager Jared Sandberg said. “It was a tough outing for him from the start, you’re out there warming up with the rain and the delay. I think he grinded through very nicely.”
Not even the elements could slow the Bulls’ offense, although it did slow the game, delaying the first pitch by 26 minutes. The first couple of innings were played in a swirling rain, which sent fans scurrying underneath the overhangs.
When the game finally started, the Bulls jumped out to a quick lead. Left fielder Patrick Leonard, center fielder Jaff Decker, shortstop Nick Franklin and catcher Luke Maile delivered RBI singles in the second and an error by the Knights’ shortstop allowed the Bulls to take a 5-0 lead in the inning.
The Knights got a run back in the third, but the Bulls continued to threaten in the next couple innings. Maile earned his second RBI of the game on a double in the third to push the Bulls lead to 6-1.
The Bulls would add another in the sixth on a RBI single by Richie Shaffer to bring the lead to its final score of 7-3.
“The bottom of the lineup swung the bats really well,” Sandberg said. “It was great for Maile to get off to the start he did.”
The Bulls bullpen finished what Snell started, pitching the final four innings and allowing two runs to score but shutting the door on the Knights in the end.
The team finished 74-70 last season, missing the postseason for the first time since 2012. The Bulls have higher expectations for the season, as five of the Rays’ Top 20 prospects are on the team’s opening day roster.
If tonight’s game is an indication, the only thing the Bulls need to work on is the Diamond Cutters performance, which was rough and out-of-synch. Baseball is a long season however, and there’s still time for the group to turn it around.
As for the Bulls, Opening Night was just fine.
