Brignac, Bulls Walk Off In Ten

DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls closed out their homestand with a walkoff win in extra innings in front of 9,905 on Friday night at the DBAP. With the winning run 90 feet away in the 10th, Reid Brignac singled to centerfield with two outs to score Jesus Felicano and beat the Tides 4-3. In his second career start for the Bulls, Shane Dyer pitched well, giving up a run in the first inning and then sitting down 11 straight Tides before running into trouble in his final inning of work. He would leave with the game tied at three all, finishing the day after tossing five innings, allowing three earned runs and six hits.

Henry Wrigley and Leslie Anderson each smacked solo home runs in the game for the Bulls. Wrigley's shot over the Blue Monster in the bottom of the first inning tied the game at one apiece. Anderson then hit a no doubter to right field in the 3rd, his team leading 5th homer of the year, to give the Bulls a 2-1 lead- their first advantage in two games.

After Norfolk knotted the game at three in the top of the fifth, Durham threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning. Already having intentionally walked Leslie Anderson in the inning, the Tides gave Hideki Matsui a free pass to bring up Jose Lobaton, who joined the Bulls on an MLB rehab assignment. The plan worked, as Lobaton flew out to center field and left the bags full of Bulls.

It would then take extra innings to decide the game. After Brandon Gomes (3-0, 0.60) threw two perfect innings with four strikeouts, Matsui hit a one out single in the bottom of the tenth. The speedy Jesus Feliciano pinch ran for the Japanese slugger, who finished the night 3-4 with a walk and a double. Feliciano would steal second and advance on a ground ball before being plated by Brignac's game winning, two out hit.

The Bulls pack their things and hit the road to begin a 10 game road trip tomorrow, starting with a two game set against these same Norfolk Tides. Durham sends RHP Matt Torra (3-5, 5.51) who tossed 6.0 innings shutout ball in his last start to face RHP Chris Tillman (3-6, 5.01) for the Tides. Patrick Kinas will call the action live on the radio home of Bulls baseball, 620 The Buzz.