Mud Hens face playoff elimination after loss to the Bulls

Durham Bulls 4, Toledo Mud Hens 2 (box)

Spencer Turnbull pitched a decent game, but the Bulls were able to stifle the Mud Hens offense. Turnbull went 5 ²⁄₃ innings allowing four runs, three earned. He just made a couple crucial mistakes. After giving up a run in the first inning, Turnbull came out in the third and hit Bulls leadoff man, Kean Wong, and then immediately surrendered a two-run shot to Joseph McCarthy. That turned out to be the ballgame. Christin Stewart kept the Hens in the game, rocking a two-run blast of his own in the third inning. But otherwise the Hens were kept in check. Kevin Comer came on to clean up the sixth inning, pitched a clean seventh, and turned the game over to closer Zac Houston in the eighth. Houston was great once again, but the Hens couldn’t muster a ninth inning rally, and the Bulls lead this best-of-three series 2-1.

Stewart: 1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR

Kozma: 1-3, R, 2B,

Turnbull (L): 5.2 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 6 SO

Coming up next: Matt Hall stands between the Mud Hens and elimination from the playoffs on Saturday. First pitch is set for 6:35pm ET in Durham.

West Michigan Whitecaps

The Whitecaps welcome in the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Saturday for Game 1 of the Midwest League semifinals. First pitch is set for 6:00pm ET from Fifth Third Park.