Bulls Batter Bats 9-2

Bulls center fielder Raimel Tapia, catcher Francisco Mejia, right fielder Ruben Cardenas and left fielder Kameron Misner all homered as Durham battered the Louisville Bats 9-2 in front of a paid attendance of 9,878 on Saturday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Durham’s win along with Lehigh Valley’s victory in Rochester maintains the Bulls’ two-game lead in the second half standings with seven games remaining. The Norfolk Tides will host the second half winning in a best-of-three playoff series to determine the International League Champion.

The Bulls plated their first two scores in the fourth, highlighted by SS Johan Lopez’s run-scoring infield bunt single. Durham in the very next frame would then bash three longballs, including back-to-back big flies from Tapia and Mejia, before Cardenas capped the big inning with a three-run blast to make it a 5-0 Bulls lead. Misner would then mash a solo shot in the seventh before Mejia added an RBI double to make it 9-0. Louisville later added two runs in the ninth to end the Bulls’ shutout hopes.

Tapia (3-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI) and Mejia (3-5, 1 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI) each posted a game-high three hits, with Simon (2-4, 2 R, 1 BB) and Misner (2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB) adding multi-hit efforts. Misner’s home run gave the 22-year-old 20 longballs and 20 stolen bases with the Bulls this year, becoming the third Durham player since 1998 to accomplish that feat, joining Josh Lowe (2021) and Justin Ruggiano (2007).

Durham reliever Ryan Burr (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 SO) earned the win with his two scoreless frames in support of starter Carlos Garcia (3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 SO). Louisville starter Michael Mariot (4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO) suffered the loss.

The two teams are scheduled to face off again on Sunday afternoon evening in Durham’s home finale, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05pm. RHP Nathan Wiles is anticipated to get the nod for the Bulls and be opposed by RHP Lyon Richardson.