Myers Blast Leads Bulls to 4-2 Victory

Wil Myers hit a mammoth two-run home run in the eighth inning to break open a tie game and lead the first-place Durham Bulls to a 4-2 win over the Indianapolis Indians on Saturday night. The victory came in front of a season-high paid crowd of 10,113 at the DBAP.

Jason Bourgeois opened the eighth with a single to center, and Myers got around on the first pitch he saw from reliever Zack Thornton (2-1, 4.97). The tracer shot went down the alley between the Snorting Bull and Diamond View II for his most impressive home run since bouncing a shot off the fourth balcony of Diamond View II.

The blast decided yet another back-and-forth battle between the International League's best two teams. The two division leaders split four games in Indianapolis earlier this month, including a 13-inning marathon, and each team took a game to start the series, including a 10-inning affair on Friday night.

For the third straight game, Durham fell behind and battled back. Josh Harrison hit the first pitch he saw from Bulls' starter Matt Buschmann for a home run to right center.  Vince Belnome singled in Bourgeois in the bottom of the first to tie the score.

Both pitchers settled down, as Buschmann struck out 9 in 5.2 innings and Indians starter Kris Johnson went six innings without allowing another run.

Indianapolis went ahead in the sixth on two walks and an error by Belnome at first that would have ended the inning. Durham got an unearned run of their own in the seventh. Mike Fontenot led off with a double and scored when third baseman Jared Goedert threw away Cole Figueroa's sacrifice attempt.

Adam Liberatore (W, 3-1, 5.04) earned the win in relief, and Kirby Yates earned his fifth save.

The Bulls and Indians conclude their epic series on Sunday at the DBAP, with first pitch is at 5:05pm. IL wins leader J.D. Martin (8-3, 2.92) starts for the Bulls against rehabbing Major Leaguer James McDonald (1-1, 7.45).