Three Homers Give Bulls Third Straight Victory

DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls hit three home runs over the course of the sixth and seventh innings to defeat the Charlotte Knights 6-4 Wednesday afternoon at the DBAP, winning their third straight game.

With Durham (33-41) trailing 2-1 entering the sixth inning, Dayron Varona walked before Luke Maile launched a two-run homer over the Snorting Bull sign in left field for a 3-2 advantage. In the seventh Jake Goebbert crushed a solo home run to right field, and two batters later Varona blasted a two-run dinger over the Blue Monster to put the home side in front 6-2.

Jerry Sands cracked his second two-run home run of the game in the eighth inning to make it a two-run game, but the visitors could get no closer as Durham clinched a series win in the four-game set.

Jaime Schultz pitched well in the start for the Bulls, allowing two runs on five hits across 5 1/3 innings while taking a no-decision. Dana Eveland (1-0) earned the win in his Bulls debut with 1 2/3 scoreless frames, while Dylan Floro picked up his sixth save with a shutout ninth.

In the first frame Charlotte (35-39) jumped out to an early lead, as Matt Davidson worked a two-out walk before Sands lined a two-run homer over the right field wall. The 2-0 score held until the fifth frame, when Johnny Field doubled, advanced to third on Jake Hager's single, and scored on Goebbert's sacrifice fly to left field to make it a one-run game.

Maile led the Bulls' 10-hit attack with a 3-for-3 game and two RBI, while Hager and Varona each tallied a pair of hits. Blake Smith (3-1) suffered the loss in relief for Charlotte, allowing two runs in 1 2/3 innings.

The series wraps on Thursday at the DBAP when RHP Austin Pruitt (5-4, 2.89) takes the mound for Durham against RHP Scott Carroll (1-4, 4.93) for Charlotte. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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