Bulls Top Pigs 5-3

Scott Kingery and Rhys Hoskins each hit solo home runs, but the IronPigs (61-37) fell 5-3 to the Durham Bulls (59-38) Friday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

After both Pigs starter Mark Leiter Jr. Jr. and Bulls starter Ryan Yarbrough tossed two scoreless innings, the Bulls got to Leiter for a three-run bottom of the third.
Bulls designated hitter Casey Gillespie led off the inning with a solo home run to right field, giving Durham a 1-0 lead. The very next batter in Mike McKenry walked, and was followed by a two-run home run by Kean Wong, giving the Bulls a 3-0 advantage.
The Pigs tallied runs in the fifth and sixth innings to draw within a run, as they trailed 3-2 heading to the bottom of the sixth inning.
Harold Martinez would come around to score on a Herlis Rodriguez RBI single in the top of the fifth to put their first run on the board as they trailed 3-1.
Hoskins then came to the plate in the sixth inning, and drove a solo shot over the left-center field wall narrowing the deficit to 3-2. It was the Sacramento, Calif., natives' 21^st homer of the season, and his first in his last 49 at bats.
Those however would be the only runs scored on Bulls starter Yarbrough, who tossed six innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out a career high 13 IronPigs batters.
The Bulls answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning, increasing their lead to 5-2. Curt Casali hit a two-run single to left, scoring Rickie Weeks Jr. and Johnny Field.
With Yarbrough out of the game, the Bulls went to Hunter Wood out of the bullpen.
Kingery would meet him in the top of the eighth inning with a solo home run, over the bull in left field to make the score 5-3 Bulls. The home run for Kingery marked his 23^rd of the season between Reading and with the Pigs.
Newcomer Matt Williams impressed in his Pigs debut, accounting for the first hit off Bulls starter Yarbrough, just missing a home run in his first at-bat. Williams would send a double off the blue monster in left field. Williams then later doubled once again, however, did not come around to score.
The loss snaps the Pigs five-game winning streak, and marks their first loss against an International League South Division opponent this season.
The series continues with game three of the four-game series with the Durham Bulls Saturday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Pigs will send left-hander Brandon Leibrandt (3-0,2.05) and the Bulls will send left-hander Michael Roth (0-2, 6.55). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
The 2017 Season is the IronPigs 10^th Anniversary season at Coca-Cola Park and 10^th as the top affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The IronPigs are debuting the brand-new Bacon, USA, Membership Program this season -- a year-round IronPigs experience pass featuring numerous new amenities such as savings on parking at games and at the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Coca-Cola Park, on-field VIP access to watch batting practice, access to an annual holiday party, an invitation to an exclusive player and coaches photo session and more. For more information, visit ironpigsbaseball.com or call (610) 841-PIGS (7447). Memberships and group outings are on sale now.
The 2017 IronPigs baseball season is presented by Capital BlueCross.