Myers Homers Twice, Bulls Down Bats 6-3
Louisville, KY --- Wil Myers had his second two-homer game in two weeks to lead the Durham Bulls to a 6-3 win in the series opener against the Louisville Bats on Saturday night.
Myers hit a solo homer in the third and a two-run shot in the fifth as the Bulls (40-23) built a 4-0 lead. Myers' three RBI gave him 52 this season, and tied with Buffalo's Luis Jimenez for the league lead.
Matt Buschmann (W, 1-0) pitched shutout baseball through five innings, then allowed three in the sixth before needing long relief help from Steve Geltz. Geltz inherited two baserunners with one out, stranding them both and maintaining the 4-3 lead. Geltz would work 2 2/3 scoreless innings before turning over the Bulls lead to Josh Lueke (S, 8) for the save in the ninth inning.
The Bulls assumed a 1-0 lead in the first when Vince Belnome scored on a wild pitch during a strikeout of Leslie Anderson.
After the Bats closed to 4-3, Durham tacked on two runs in the seventh to reclaim a comfortable lead. Jason Bourgeois singled to center, followed by a bunt hit by Brandon Guyer. Belnome blooped a single to right-centerfield, then after a pitching change, Anderson chopped a double over the head of first baseman Mike Hessman to drive in a run, lifting the lead to 6-3.
Armando Galarraga (L, 4-4), who was denied a perfect game in June, 2010 while pitching for Detroit on a wrong call at first base, took the loss. Galarraga permitted nine hits over six innings and six earned runs.
Buschmann worked 5 1/3, allowing two earned runs on six hits in notching his first Bulls win, and his seventh victory of the season.
The series continues Sunday night at 6:05 PM ET with Alex Colome (4-5, 2.73) against Greg Reynolds (6-0, 2.65).