Bulls Complete Perfect Homestand with 6-3 Win
DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls earned their sixth straight victory Sunday evening at the DBAP, beating the Louisville Bats 6-3 behind a six-run fourth inning that included back-to-back homers from Taylor Motter and Jaff Decker.
Trailing by a run entering the fourth, the Durham (51-58) bats erupted for a six-run, two-out rally to take a decisive five-run lead. Jake Goebbert doubled with two outs and no one on to begin the rally, before Hank Conger singled him home to tie the contest. Eury Perez then singled, and Jake Hager followed with an RBI knock to put Durham in front 2-1. Motter followed with a three-run homer over the Blue Monster, before Decker deposited a ball over the right field wall for back-to-back homers and a 6-1 lead.
After allowing a run in the first inning, Jake Faria (3-2) battled through 5 1/3 innings to earn the victory. The right-hander worked around three hits and five walks to allow just one run, while striking out seven batters, giving him a Minor League-leading 129 punch outs in 2016. Daniel Wright (3-4) suffered the loss for the Bats, surrendering six runs on 10 hits in four innings.
The Bats (53-55) came within striking distance in the eighth inning, as Seth Mejias-Brean knocked a two-run home run to left field to make it a 6-3 ballgame. Tyler Sturdevant tossed a scoreless ninth inning for Durham though, picking up his fourth save and preserving a perfect 6-0 homestand for the Bulls.
Motter continued his hot hitting, as one night removed from a walk-off single he went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI. Perez, Hager, Decker, Goebbert and Conger all finished with two-hit games, as the Bulls scored at least five runs for the sixth straight game.
The Bulls hit the road on Monday for the first game of a two-game set against the Norfolk Tides. LHP Justin Marks (4-9, 3.92) takes the hill for Durham opposite RHP David Hale (1-6, 5.71) for the Tides. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. from Harbor Park.
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