By Matt Patterson

Special to The Herald-Sun

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Pinch runner Rashad Eldridge scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 11th inning to give Durham its first-ever Triple-A national championship in a 5-4 win over Memphis on Tuesday at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.

The pitch, thrown by Memphis reliever Oneli Perez, ended what had been a stalemate for most of the final four innings of the game. The play was set up by a lead-off double from catcher Michel Hernandez.

Memphis had won 10 of 11 games prior to Tuesday night. It was a crazy ending to a sometimes crazy season for Durham.

"It wasn't surprising we went extra innings," Manager Charlie Montoyo said. "That's how we've been winning games all year. It's never going to be that easy, we knew that. You have to give them credit for coming back. Our bullpen did a good job of keeping us in the game."

Durham's Jeremy Hellickson earned the Bobby Murcer MVP award for his efforts as the starting pitcher. He pitched five scoreless innings while allowing two hits.

The game changed when he left the mound. Memphis rallied in the sixth with three runs off Bulls reliever Jason Cromer. The first was a solo homer from Jon Jay. Then, after a base hit by Tyler Greene, designated hitter Allen Craig hit a two-run homer to left.

The Redbirds tied the game in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from David Freese that ultimately pushed the game into extra innings. In the sixth and seventh Durham relievers walked a combined five batters and gave up four runs on three hits.

"It happens," Hellickson said. "Cromer has had an unbelievable year. He was coming out of the bullpen -- that's a little different. They're a good hitting team so you have to give them credit too."

Hellickson was a little sheepish as he collected the MVP trophy. The 22-year-old seemed surprised to win it.

"Anyone could have gotten it today," Hellickson said. "We played great. We played as a team. We went 11 innings so everyone contributed."

It looked as though Durham would roll early. The Bulls scored first in the third with an RBI double from Desmond Jennings off Memphis starter P.J. Walters.

The Bulls added to their lead in the fourth with a solo homer to left from second baseman Sean Rodriguez. Third baseman Ray Olmedo drove in another run on a blooper to left, and Jennings finished the inning with an RBI single.

But Durham held on and ultimately did enough to win. The Redbirds have been one of the toughest teams in the Pacific Coast League this year after struggling in previous seasons.

"I wasn't expecting it to end the way it did, on that wild pitch," Montoyo said. "Somebody called it but it wasn't me. There's no way I'm that good. It's just a testament to the way these guys hung in there, they did it all year long."