Jake Mangum hit a go-ahead RBI double in the top of the ninth inning to lead the Durham Bulls to a wild 13-12 victory over the Norfolk Tides before 4,519 fans Tuesday night at Harbor Park.
It was the second-highest scoring game of the season for the Tides in terms of combined run total. Only Norfolk’s 26-11 victory at Charlotte on April 2 — its fifth game of the season — produced more runs.
The teams combined for 30 hits and 16 walks on Tuesday.
The Tides (39-43) rallied from deficits of 4-0, 6-5 and 12-6, but couldn’t answer the run the Bulls (39-44) scored in the top of the ninth.
Norfolk did threaten in the bottom of the ninth when Jackson Holliday walked with two outs and Connor Norby singled to put runners at first and second, but Durham reliever Tyler Zuber (3-0) struck out Kyle Stowers to end it.
Tides third baseman Coby Mayo had one of his best games of the season with three hits, including his 18th homer of the season, and five RBIs. In 16 games since returning from a fractured rib, Mayo is hitting .431 with eight homers and 22 RBIs.
Garrett Cooper added a pair of homers and four RBIs for Norfolk, while Norby had three hits and Holliday had a hit and three walks.
René Pinto went 3 for 5 with a homer and four RBIs and Mangum finished with four hits for Durham.
Tides starting pitcher Carlos Tavera allowed six runs on eight hits in three innings and reliever Wandisson Charles allowed all of the Bulls’ five runs in the sixth inning.
The teams will play the rubber match of their three-game set at Harbor Park at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The park will celebrate Independence Day with its biggest fireworks show of the year.
