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Bulls Rally for 8-6 Walk-Off Win Over G-Braves

Joey Butler delivers decisive two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth for Durham
By Tony Schiavone
April 24, 2015

DURHAM, NC - Durham right fielder Joey Butler drilled a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth off Gwinnett reliever Greg Smith to propel the Bulls (8-8) to an 8-6 win over the G-Braves (5-10) Friday night in the opening game of the three-game series at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

 

The loss spoiled a fine night at the plate for the G-Braves, who came back twice from deficits.

 

It looked as if the Bulls would run away with the game in the early stages. In the bottom of the first, facing Gwinnett starter Chien-Ming Wang, leadoff batter Eugenio Velez reached first on an infield single and moved to second on a throwing error by second baseman Jose Peraza. After Mikie Mahtook drew a walk, Butler delivered a two-run single to center for a 2-0 Durham lead.

 

Gwinnett cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top of the second as Pedro Ciriaco led off with a solo homer to deep left, his first blast of the season.

 

But the Bulls extended the lead in the bottom of the second. Luke Maile led off with a single to center, Leonardo Reginatto reached on an error by shortstop Elmer Reyes and Alexi Casilla followed with a bunt single to load the bases. With one out, Velez lined a single to left scoring Maile for a 3-1 lead. The Durham advantage increased to 4-1 as Wang hit Mahtook with a pitch, forcing in Reginatto from third.

 

Gwinnett moved closer in the top of the fifth as Cedric Hunter cracked a one-out solo homer to right. Hunter's first clout of the season cut the Bulls' lead to 4-2.

 

Then in the top of the fifth, the G-Braves rallied to take the lead against Durham starter Dylan Floro. Joe Benson led off with a double to left and moved to third on a bunt by Barrett Kleinknecht. Braeden Schlehuber walked to put runners on the corners. Eury Perez hit a ground ball to second; Schlehuber broke up the possible inning-ending double play with a hard slide near the bag at second, allowing Benson to score from third to make it 4-3. An infield single by Peraza put two on, and Adonis Garcia blooped a single to right-center, scoring Perez from second and tying the game a 4-4. Hunter followed with a single to left, scoring Peraza for a 5-4 Gwinnett lead.

 

The lead did not last long. In the bottom of the fifth, Mahtook singled, stole second and scored on Maile's one-out single to right. A passed ball pushed Maile to second, and Casilla plated him with a single to left for a 6-5 Durham lead.

 

The G-Braves rallied again, this time in the top of the eighth against reliever Jim Miller. Garcia greeted Miller with a single to center and moved to third on a double to right by Hunter. Ciriaco grounded out to short, scoring Garcia and tying the game at 6-6.

 

Smith had pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings, but was greeted in the ninth by a Mahtook single. Butler followed with the winning shot, coming on an 0-2 pitch.

 

Smith (L, 0-1) worked 2.1 innings with two hits, two earned runs and two strikeouts. Wang, making his third start of the year for the G-Braves, pitched 5.0 innings with nine hits, six runs (four earned), two walks and six strikeouts. Mitchell Boggs relieved Wang in the sixth inning and walked one in a scoreless frame.

 

Floro went 5.2 innings with seven hits, five earned runs, one walk and one strikeout. Miller pitched 2.1 innings with two hits and one earned run. Bryce Stowell (W, 1-1) worked a scoreless top of the ninth for the win with one walk and one strikeout.

 

Hunter had the big night at the plate for the G-Braves. He was 3-for-4 with a single, double, home run and two RBIs. Garcia was 2-for-4 and Peraza was 2-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to five games.

 

For the Bulls, Butler was 2-for-4 with a double, a homer and four RBIs, Mahtook was 2-for-3 with three runs and one RBI and Maile was 2-for-4 with one run.

 

The G-Braves and Bulls meet in game two of the three-game series Saturday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Right-hander Mike Foltynewicz (0-2, 1.62 ERA) gets the start for Gwinnett. The Bulls will start left-hander Everett Teaford (1-1, 4.20 ERA). First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 FM and WSBRadio.com beginning at 4:30 p.m.

 

Gwinnett's next home game is April 27 at 6:35 p.m. against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. To purchase tickets, call the Coolray Field Ticket Office at 678-277-0340 or visit GwinnettBraves.com/tickets.