Durham comes from behind, earns 3-1 series win
Durham’s come-from-behind win sends the team to its 11th Governors’ Cup Finals.
The Durham Bulls erased a three-run deficit en route to a 4-3 win over the Indianapolis Indians Saturday night, Sept. 9, 2017, at Victory Field. The win gave the Bulls a 3-1 series win, propelling the team to its 11th Governors’ Cup Finals in the last 20 seasons, and first since 2014.
Trailing 3-2 in the top of the eighth inning, the Bulls loaded the bases on two walks and a hit-by-pitch. With two outs, Justin O’Conner lined a single to center field, scoring Patrick Leonard and Shane Peterson for a 4-3 lead. Over the final two innings, the combination of Hunter Wood , Adam Kolarekand Diego Castillo combined to allow just one baserunner, as the Bulls punched their ticket to the Governors’ Cup Finals.
The home side appeared poised to even the series in the early going, striking for the game’s first run in the fourth inning, and extending its lead to 3-0 in the fifth. The Bulls began chipping away in the top of the sixth though, as a ground out off the bat of Taylor Featherston scored Durham’s first run, before Kean Wong‘s single plated Leonard to cut the deficit to one.
Wood (1-0) picked up the victory with a scoreless inning of relief, while Jack Leathersich (0-1) suffered the loss by allowing two runs over 1/3 relief frames.
The Bulls advance seeking their fifth Governors’ Cup title in the franchise’s history, after joining the International League in 1998. Durham will play the winner of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs/Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders series.
The Governors’ Cup Finals will commence with the Bulls hosting Games One and Two of the Governors’ Cup Finals on Tuesday, Sept. 12 and Wednesday, Sept. 13 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Both games will begin at 6:35 p.m., and fans can purchase tickets here.
Thanks to DBBC’s Matt Sutor for this capcom story& photo.
