On a perfect night for baseball, with temperatures in the mid 60s, the Durham Bulls defeated the Syracuse Chiefs, 4-2, in its only win of the four-game home stand.
The crowd on hand, 8,227, at Durham Bulls Athletic Park was electric all night and even sustained “the wave” for almost the entirety of the eighth inning.
Bulls fans had plenty to cheer about early and often as the team scored in three consecutive innings, third through fifth, and added an insurance run in the eighth.
Starting pitcher J.D. Martin (4-1) was solid once again this season, completing seven innings of work, allowing five hits, two runs and five strikeouts.
Josh Leuke started the eighth inning in relief of Martin and captured the six-out save, his seventh on the season.
Wil Myers, who started the game in right field, was replaced early in the game by Rich Thompson. Myers being benched created a nervous stir in the crowd and web with rumors spreading about the talented prospect either being traded or called up to Tampa Bay.
Thompson had an interesting night filling in for Myers. He went 2-3 from the plate, doubling in the fifth inning, misplayed a routine in right field late in the contest and threw a base runner out trying to stretch for second base.
Bulls manager Charlie Montoyo confirmed after the game that Myers was suffering from a “bad stomach ache” prompting him to sit the young gem out.
The Bulls, now 21-13 on the season and two games out of the International League South Division, begin a home series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs tonight at DBAP starting at 7:05.
Box score is here.
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