Varona's Double Gives Bulls Walk-Off Win Over Tides

DURHAM - Dayron Varona hit a walk-off double to score Jaff Decker and give the Bulls a 2-1 win over the Norfolk Tides in 11 innings in front of a sell-out crowd of 10,592 fans on Saturday, May 7, at the DBAP.

Durham's (13-17) Austin Pruitt went three innings starting on the mound, but was pulled despite allowing just one run and three hits. Ryan Garton pitched the most innings, with four scoreless and just two hits and three strikeouts. Danny Farquhar (1-0) got the win with 1.2 innings in relief for Durham.

Norfolk's (11-18) Richard Rodriguez (2-1) suffered the loss as he allowed the winning run in the 11th.

Nick Franklin reached base in every at-bat for the Bulls, going 3 for 3 with two walks and a run scored. Jake Goebbert was 2 for 4 with an RBI double, scoring Franklin to tie the game in the seventh.

Varona entered in the ninth as a pinch-hitter with a chance to walk off then, too, but grounded into a double play. In the 11th, Decker singled and stole second, and two batters later Franklin was intentionally walked to bring up Varona. The Cuban outfielder worked the count full and hit a deep fly ball to the base of the Blue Monster for the winning double.

The Bulls are back in action as they host the Tides for the rubber match of the three-game series at 5:05 p.m. Sunday at the DBAP. Tickets are available at DurhamBulls.com, or at by calling the Frontier