How Hot Was It?

Pouring Pig Iron

Game 76: Durham Bulls 2; Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 4
Season: 45-32; Home Stand: 2-1
Wrap, Box, Herald-Sun, The Morning Call

Just the weather, not the bats or the pitchers.

The simple explanation of what happened is that two throwing errors, one by Omar Luna in the 4th and one by Jose Lobaton in the 8th, made all the difference. And they did add two runs to the books.

On the other hand, Lehigh Valley got eleven hits, including three doubles and a triple, a two timely run-scored sacrifice flies.

On a brutally hot day, Heath Phillips had already faced 21 batters when he started the 6th. A single, a double, and a sac fly and another run was in. If only …

This year’s Bulls, as good as they are, and they are very good, don’t seem to come from behind very well. Can only recall one “walk-off” game this year. Last year, to cite one particularly spectacular example, someone who left the park in the 4th with the Bulls down 1-8, would miss an 11th inning comeback where the Bulls ended up winning 13-9. If only …

I thought maybe Fernando Perez’s second home run in two days was going to turn the tide, and it did help, but not enough. Beautiful shot, though. Probably got the attention of diners at the restaurant since it appeared to hit the wall just above the awning.

Didn’t make the Iron Pig pitcher work all that much. Only 88 pitches through seven innings. Given the heat, a bit more patience to make him work harder might have made a difference.

Today we’re on national television. Time to shine. Hope that we don’t wilt.

Webworld

• News & Observer does a nice profile of Dan Johnson. Gets a few minor details wrong (Shoppach was never going to stay in Durham). But can’t disagree with the overall sentiment — that Dan Johnson is a major-league quality player.

• Huge media coverage of Longoria/Upton dustup yesterday. For long time watchers of B.J. just another example of his inability to stay focused on the game.