Long Balls Lift Bulls Past RailRiders

DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls hit three home runs and erased an early three-run deficit as they beat the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 5-3 Monday evening at the DBAP in the opener of a three-game set.

Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the eighth inning, Durham's Nick Franklin led off the frame with a solo homer to tie the contest. After a walk and a strikeout, Dayron Varona hit an opposite-field, two-run dinger to put the Bulls ahead 5-3. In the ninth Dylan Floro set down the RailRiders in order, notching his third save of the campaign.

Durham (21-31) found itself trailing after four innings, as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (29-22) scored three runs in the fourth inning. Chris Parmelee hit a two-run homer to open the game's scoring, before an Eddy Rodriguez bloop single later in the frame scored Pete Kozma for a 3-0 advantage.

After being held scoreless through the first five innings, Jake Goebbert launched a solo home run to right-center to begin the Durham comeback.

Parker Markel, Neil Wagner, Danny Farquhar and Floro combined for 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, after Bulls starter Justin Marks exited after 3 2/3 frames and allowing three runs. Farquhar (2-1) earned the win with 2/3 shutout innings, while Johnny Barbato (0-1) took the loss for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre by surrendering a pair of runs in the eighth.

Franklin, Varona and Kyle Roller all finished 2-for-4 in the Bulls' eight-hit attack. Durham's five-run output marked the first time in the team's last nine home games it scored five runs.

The Bulls and RailRiders square off at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at the DBAP, when Durham sends LHP Blake Snell (2-4, 3.88) to the mound opposite LHP Phil Coke (3-0, 0.75).

###  

Every team wants a five-tool player. Finding future all-stars is hard, but health insurance doesn't have to be. Because Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has the tools to make using heath care easy.