Bulls Edge RailRiders for Series Win

DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls held off a ninth-inning comeback by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders to earn a 4-3 win in the rubber match of a three-game set Wednesday afternoon at the DBAP.

With the Bulls leading 4-1 entering the top of the ninth, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (30-23) scored a pair of runs on a one-out single by Jonathan Diaz to make it a one-run game. However, Dylan Floro got the next two batters to line out and strike out, respectively, to notch his fourth save of the season and give Durham its first series victory since early-May.

Durham (22-32) jumped on the board in the very first inning, as Nick Franklin doubled with two outs and Jaff Decker drove him home with a single to center field. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre came right back in the top of the second with a run of its own as Diaz earned a bases-loaded walk to tie the game.

The 1-1 score held until the fifth, when the Bulls took the lead for good on a two-out, RBI single from Johnny Field. The home side made it a 3-1 game in the sixth inning when Decker drove in Franklin with a sacrifice fly, and JP Arencibia increased the lead to 4-1 in the seventh with a solo homer into the right field stands.

Jaime Schultz (4-2) earned the victory by surrendering one run on two hits over six innings, while striking out six and working around five walks. Chad Green (4-4) suffered the loss for the RailRiders by allowing three runs on six hits in six frames.

Arencibia, Franklin and Field all finished with two hits, while Decker contributed two RBI in Durham's nine-hit afternoon.

Durham's seven game homestand continues Thursday when it opens a four-game set against the Gwinnett Braves. RHP Austin Pruitt (3-3, 2.80) is scheduled to start for the Bulls opposite RHP Casey Kelly (2-1, 2.63) for the G-Braves. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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