Bulls Rally to Win Game, Series Against RailRiders

DURHAM, NC - The Durham Bulls rallied in the eighth inning to beat the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 6-5 at the DBAP on Tuesday afternoon in front of 9,076 fans.

The win came just hours after the Bulls (18-9) dropped an extra-inning marathon to the RailRiders early Tuesday morning. That was the only loss suffered by Durham in the four-game set.

After Antoan Richardson put Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (11-13) on top with a first-inning home run, Durham rallied with three runs in the second, highlighted by a two-run triple by Ray Olmedo. Olmedo was 2-for-3 and added an RBI when his squeeze bunt in the eighth gave Durham an insurance run.

A Ramon Flores homer and an RBI single by Dean Anna tied the game in the fifth frame, before Corban Joseph gave the RailRiders the lead again in the sixth inning on an RBI single.

Down to their last five outs, the Bulls made a last stand. Vince Belnome had an epic 11-pitch at bat that culminated in a double to center field. Mike Fontenot doubled him home to tie the game, and Robby Price's single to left-center field scored Fontenot and put the Bulls on top 5-4, before Olmedo's bunt scored the home side's sixth run of the contest.

Doug Mathis (2-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief, while Kirby Yates gave up his first run of the year but recovered to earn his ninth save in as many chances. Chase Whitley (2-2) suffered the loss for the RailRiders, allowing three runs in four innings of relief.

The first-place Bulls have a rare off day in the middle of their homestand Wednesday, and they return to action with four games against Columbus starting Thursday, May 1 at 7:05 p.m. LHP Enny Romero (2-3, 4.44) starts for the Bulls against Columbus' RHP Josh Tomlin (1-1, 2.77).