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Bulls Ride Long Ball to Victory

Durham hits three dingers in 6-2 win
May 18, 2014

DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls cracked three home runs en route to a 6-2 win over the Louisville Bats Sunday evening at the DBAP, tying the four-game set at one game apiece. 

Mikie Mahtook hit a two-run home run, his first career Triple-A dinger, in the bottom of the fourth to erase a 2-1 Louisville lead and put the Bulls on top to stay. Mahtook went 3-for-4 and also drove in the Bulls' first run of the game with a second-inning single.

That was all starter Mike Montgomery (5-1) would need as he became the sixth I.L. pitcher this season to reach the five-win plateau. Montgomery scattered six hits and two runs over 6 1/3 innings and struck out four as he improved to 4-0 at home on the season. 

The Bulls (26-19) added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth. Wilson Betemit led off the inning with a line drive to right for his ninth homer of the season, tied for third-most in the league. Two batters later, Vince Belnome hit a solo shot onto the berm in right-center for his third of the year, as he finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored for his second straight three-hit night.

Tim Crabbe (2-4) took the loss for the Bats (20-23), surrendering five runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. Jake Thompson and Kirby Yates combined to record the final eight outs and preserve the win for Montgomery and the Bulls.

Game three of the series is scheduled for Monday night, when Durham sends RHP Merrill Kelly (4-1, 2.47) to the mound against Louisville RHP Chien-Ming Wang (3-4, 4.79). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.