Myers, Bulls Use 9-Run First to Beat Buffalo

Durham Reclaims Share of First with Win

May 27, 2013

On the back of a 9-run first inning, the Durham Bulls outslugged the Buffalo Bisons on Memorial Day at the DBAP to earn an 11-7 victory. Wil Myers drove in five of those runs in the game's opening frame, helping Durham to reclaim a share of first place.

Five of the first six Bulls to bat got hits, and Buffalo starter Ricky Romero (L, 0-1, 13.85) was chased after giving up 8 earned runs and retiring just two batters to take the loss.

Wil Myers hit a two-run home run, his third in four days, to start the scoring, then added a bases-loaded double that drove in three more his next time up in the first inning. Myers' five RBIs were the most he's recorded in a game since April 14 last year, when he played for AA Northwest Arkansas. It also matched the Bulls season high. Brandon Guyer had five, also all in the first inning, against Gwinnett on April 9.

Eight Bulls scored in the game, and eight got base hits in the offensive explosion. It turned out Durham would have very few runs to spare.

The Buffalo comeback started in the fifth, when the Bisons chased starter Alex Torres two outs shy of qualifying for a win. Torres allowed the first three Bisons to reach base in the fifth on two walks and a single. Moises Sierra then hit a bases-clearing double.

First baseman Mauro Gomez then hit a two-run homer to finish Torres' day. The lefthander hasn't lasted through the end of the fifth inning in either start since returning from a promotion to Tampa Bay earlier this month. Gomez hit another two-run shot his next time up, off winning pitcher Steve Geltz (W, 3-0, 3.18) in the seventh inning, to cut the Bulls lead to 11-7.

Jeff Beliveau and Kirby Yates combined to shut down Buffalo the rest of the way. The win, combined with Norfolk's loss to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre tied the Bulls for first in the IL South with a 31-20 record. It also doubled their lead in the Wild Card race over the Bisons, to two games.

The same two teams play the second game of the four game series at 7:05pm on Tuesday. LHP Mike Montgomery (1-0, 4.15) makes his first start at the DBAP for the Bulls, while RHP Justin Germano (3-4, 7.16) starts for Buffalo.