Motter Paves Path For Durham 5-3 Win

Norfolk, VA --- Taylor Motter drove in all five runs, including a tie-breaking double in the ninth, to lead the Durham Bulls past the first-place Norfolk Tides 5-3 on Thursday night at Harbor Park.

Motter drilled a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth to tie the score 3-3, then looped a bases-loaded two-out double in the ninth as the Bulls (43-38) stormed past Norfolk (45-34) to pull within three games of the South Division lead.

The game started nearly two hours late thanks to powerful rain storms in the region, forcing the first pitch to be thrown just after 9:00 PM ET.

Motter delivered a grounder in the first inning to score Boog Powell from third for a 1-0 lead. Steve Clevenger homered in the second to tie the game, then the Tides pushed ahead on a sacrifice fly in the fourth 2-1. Matt Andriese worked the first five innings, allowing five hits and two runs in his first start since dominating the Boston Red Sox last Saturday.

Christian Walker hit a solo homer in the sixth against reliever Enny Romero to put the Tides ahead 3-1.

In the eighth, Tim Beckham singled with two outs prior to Motter's game-tying home run. In the ninth, the Tides failed to turn an inning-ending double play, which led Motter to the plate with the bases loaded. Motter dropped Wesley Wright's (L, 0-2) pitch just in front of Dariel Alvarez's diving effort to score two runs for a 5-3 lead.

Andy Oliver (W, 1-1) earned the win in relief, with Ernesto Frieri (S, 1) registering his first Bulls save with the final two outs of the game.

The series continues Friday night at 7:05 PM ET with Robert Zarate (1-0, 0.69) opposing Mike Wright (4-0, 3.07).