Bulls Drop Heartbreaker in Extras 4-3

Leonard's solo HRerased as Norfolk walks off Durham in 12 innings

Patrick Leonard tallied five hits, including a home run, in Durham's rout of Syracuse (BrianFlemingPhotography.com)

May 7, 2017

NORFOLK, VA - The Durham Bulls rallied late to force extra innings and took the lead in the top of the 12th inning Sunday evening, but the Bulls couldn't escape Norfolk with the win as the hometown Tides rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 12th to hand

NORFOLK, VA - The Durham Bulls rallied late to force extra innings and took the lead in the top of the 12^th inning Sunday evening, but the Bulls couldn't escape Norfolk with the win as the hometown Tides rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 12^th to hand the Bulls a 4-3 loss at Harbor Park.
Durham entered the eighth frame trailing Norfolk 2-1 before catcher Curt Casali extended his hitting streak to 15 games and tied the game with a two-out, RBI single to make the score 2-2. The contest remained deadlocked until the top of the 12^th, when Patrick Leonard led off the inning with a solo home run to left-center to put the road team ahead 3-2. The Tides had one last rally left in them as well however, as Mike Yastrzemski lined a game-winning, two-RBI double to center to flip the score and hand Durham a 4-3 loss.
Norfolk jumped out to an early lead on starting pitcher Ryan Yarbrough and the Bulls, with an RBI single by Robert Andino in the first and a passed ball by Casali behind the plate in the second giving the home team a 2-0 advantage.
Durham got on the board in the top of the third, with doubles by Jake Hager and Mallex Smith cutting the Bulls' deficit to 2-1. The score remained the same until the eight when the Bulls rallied to tie before ultimately falling in extras.
Hager (3-4, 2B, R) and Casey Gillaspie (3-5, 3B, BB) led the Bulls offensively, while Leonard finished 2-6 with a homer, a double, two runs scored, and an RBI.
Yarbrough took a no-decision after allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits, three walks, and six strikeouts over 5.1 innings pitched. Durham reliever Andrew Kittredge (0-1) took the loss after giving up the two decisive runs in the 12^th. Norfolk bullpen arm Richard Rodriguez (2-1) earned the win after allowing one run on three hits over his three innings on the mound.
The series-ending loss is the only defeat of the road trip for the Bulls (20-8), who return home having swept a rain-shortened two-game series in Gwinnett before taking two of three from Norfolk. The Bulls will host Columbus (11-17) at 7:05 pm on Monday, with Yonny Chirinos (1-0, 5.68) taking on Shawn Morimando (2-3, 5.53) at the DBAP.
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