Avila's homer leads Charlotte to 6-5 win over Durham
-- Alex Avila hit a three-run home run in the first inning, leading the Charlotte Knights to a 6-5 win over the Durham Bulls on Wednesday.
Matt Purke got Daniel Robertson to ground out with a runner on third to end the game for his second save of the season.
The home run by Avila scored Jason Bourgeois and Jason Coats to give the Knights a 3-1 lead.
The Bulls tied the game in the third inning when Taylor Motter hit a two-run single.
The Knights later tacked on three runs in the seventh when Nicky Delmonico hit a solo home run and Bourgeois hit a two-run single to secure the victory.
Juan Minaya (4-3) got the win with two innings of scoreless relief while Ryne Stanek (1-4) took the loss in the International League game.
For the Bulls, Jake Hager homered and singled, scoring two runs.
Wednesday’s box score
Durham Bulls | ab | r | h | bi |
Hager, 2B | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Robertson, SS | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Gillaspie, 1B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Motter, 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Decker, CF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Field, CF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arencibia, DH | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Casali, C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Varona, RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Goebbert, LF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Totals | 35 | 5 | 9 | 5 |
Charlotte Knights | ab | r | h | bi |
Garcia, 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Bourgeois, LF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Coats, RF | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Sands, 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Avila, DH | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Smith, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Delmonico, 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Engel, CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Alvarez, SS | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Totals | 31 | 6 | 9 | 6 |
Durham | 102 | 020 | 000 | — | 5 | 9 | 0 |
Charlotte | 300 | 000 | 30X | — | 6 | 9 | 1 |
E — Garcia. DP–Durham 1, Charlotte 1. LOB–Durham 6, Charlotte 4. 2B–Gillaspie, Decker. 3B–Robertson. HR—Hager (2), Avila (1), Delmonico (6). SB–Varona (9), Garcia (15), Bourgeois (14). CS—Coats.
Durham Bulls IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |
Marks | 5 2/3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Stanek (BS, 3)(L, 1-4) | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Geltz | 1 1/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Charlotte Knights IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |
Holmberg | 5 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
Minaya (W, 4-3) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Purke | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
This story was originally published August 24, 2016 at 11:30 PM with the headline "Avila's homer leads Charlotte to 6-5 win over Durham."