Durham Holds Memphis to Three Hits in Saturday Thriller

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 15, 2026

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Durham, NC* --- Kenny Piper doubled and homered, Homer Bush collected three hits, including the go-ahead single in the seventh to lead the Durham Bulls past the Memphis Redbirds 4-1 at the DBAP on Saturday night.

Piper clubbed his first Durham home run of the season in the fifth to tie the game 1-1, then scampered home on a single to center from Bush in the bottom of the seventh to put the Bulls (26-17) ahead 2-1. Tre Morgan followed two batters later with an RBI-single for a 3-1 lead.

Bush came through again in the eighth, stroking a run-scoring single to left to bring Piper home again to push the lead to 4-1.

Hunter Bigge (S, 2) recorded a four-out save. Bigge entered in the eighth with the bases loaded and two outs before striking out Leo Bernal.

Six Durham pitchers combined to three-hit the Redbirds (19-25). Steven Wilson tossed the first two frames, allowing a first inning run. Brody Hopkins threw a perfect third, with Michael Grove retiring the next eight batters. Manny Rodriguez continued his rehab by retiring the final batter of the sixth. Evan Reifert threw a season-high 45 pitches, recording five outs before walking three straight in the eighth, leading to Bigge's entrance.

Durham was checked by Memphis starter Brandt Thompson on one hit through four innings. The Bulls offense logged 10 hits over the final four innings.

Memphis leads the series 3-2 ahead of Sunday's finale at 5:05 PM ET.

Notes: The Bulls' pitching plans took a U-turn when the Rays recalled Joe Boyle on Saturday. Boyle was scheduled to start for Durham. Instead, the Bulls used six pitchers to cover nine innings one day after using catcher Blake Sabol to pitch the final inning on Friday night.... Reifert threw 45 pitches over his 1 2/3 inning outing, the most he has logged in a game this season... Piper scored three of Durham's four runs....Hopkins was activated from the developmental list prior to Saturday's game. Hopkins needed just 12 pitches to retire the side in order in the third inning, with eight fastballs clocked at 100+mph... The rehabbing Rodriguez, who made 15 pitches on Friday without recording an out, faced one on Saturday, his first set of back-to-back appearances since June, 2025 with Tampa Bay.

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