Clean-up Cleans-up

Game 112: Bulls 5, Chiefs 3
Season: 64-48
Wrap, Box

A couple of days ago I began to assemble an answer to the question, Why is Justin Ruggiano batting cleanup? Instead, I’ll just report what happened because he was batting cleanup last night. The first time he came to bat Desmond Jennings was on third base, having had a single, stolen second base (he’s really fast), and moved to third on Matt Joyce’s single. Ruggiano singled and Jennings came home. In the 5th inning Justin came to bat with the bases loaded and hit a double. Three runs scored. So four out of the Bulls’ five runs by the number four batter (the fifth on yet another double by Jon Weber).

Carlos Hernandez had a lot of trouble in the first inning, but settled down after that. Nevertheless, since the Rays have him on a really low pitch count, he only lasted four innings. An oddity of the game is that he was pulled while throwing a no-hitter through those innings. Joe Bateman (who got the win), Jason Childers (how come, with all our relievers, two days in a row?), and Dale Thayer followed. Thayer gave up three singles in the 8th. Not like him.

Webworld

• Additional thoughts on Winston Abreu coming back to the Bulls are over at The Rays Party and Indy Week.
• Rays Index speculates that David Price is nearing his limit on innings pitched and that it could lead to him going to the bullpen and Andy Sonnanstine being recalled to Tampa Bay.
• Baseball America takes a look at Wade Davis’ start against Indianapolis.
• Jeff Neimann tells a story about a 2007 experience in Durham that made a difference in his career in the Bradenton Herald.
• Flip-Flop Fly Ball’s latest graphic takes us to Turner, Montana.