Bulls Walk-Off in Extras Over Stripers

DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls snapped their three-game losing skid with a 2-1 victory in 10 innings against the Gwinnett Stripers in front of 10,104 fans on Friday night at the DBAP.
The Stripers began the 10^th with Rob Brantly at second base and a single by Danny Santana put runners at first and third. Andrew Velazquez retired the first out on a sparkling leaping put out of Dustin Peterson, but Santana advanced to second on the play and kept the pressure on Bulls' reliever Ian Gibaut.
Michael Reed worked into a 3-1 count and walked to load the bases with two outs, but a ground out to first by Rio Ruiz stranded the bases loaded and left the game 1-1 to the home half of the 10^th.
In the bottom of the 10^th with Jeremy Hazelbaker on first, Micah Johnson laid down a bunt moving Hazelbaker to third. Jacob Webb bounced the throw past first baseman Carlos Franco and Hazelbaker scored giving the Bulls their first walk-off victory of the season.
The Stripers got on the board in the top of the third, with an RBI double by Reed moving in front 1-0. Durham tied the game in the fifth inning on a solo home run by Johnson, recording his first homer of the year.
The Durham Bulls (37-28) face the Gwinnett Stripers (29-36) for game three of a four-game tilt Saturday evening at the DBAP. Chih-Wei Hu (2-5, 4.87) is scheduled to start for the Bulls against Lucas Sims (3-2, 1.45) for the Stripers with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m.