Best Bulls Game Yet

Season: 10-19; Home Stand: 4-4
Box, Wrap, Indy Week, Herald-Sun

Pitchers pitched, hitters hit, fielders fielded. What more could you ask for in a baseball game? A win? That too.

All in all a very satisfying game.

Alex Cobb had a couple of tough moments in the 6th and 7th innings. But he was helped out by decent fielding (and poor base-running) in the 6th and relief pitching in the 7th.

In that 7th lefty John Gaub came in for one batter and struck him out. Is he a LOOGY-in-training for the Rays?

He was followed by Dane De La Rosa who got the final out of the 7th inning and stayed for the 8th and 9th. De La Rosa made a terrific comeback from that disaster the night before last. Here he went 2⅓ with one BB and 4 Ks.

The hitters: Everyone got at least one hit except for Shawn O’Malley, but even O’Malley got an RBI with a grounder in the 2nd with Vogt on third base and one out. Of note was Stephen Vogt getting his first home run of the year, Reid Brignac hitting a double, and Matt Mangini a double. Brandon Guyer returned to the lineup and hit a couple of singles.

The fielding: Jeff Salazar made an important catch and then threw out a runner who was trying to make it from third to home. Pretty straightforward play, but nice to see. As was an astute play of a carom off the right field wall by Brandon Guyer in the 6th that held a Bat to a single.

A good day at the DBAP.

Outside the game

• A few days ago we provided a link that discussed the knuckleball. But whatever happened to the spitball? Inquiring minds want to know. And Tampa Bay’s Jim Hickey might have a couple of answers.

Chart of the Day — ERA

It's been quite a while since we looked at the team, starter, and reliever ERA trends. Things are getting better. Nice to see. Nevertheless, the team ERA of 5.29 is still the worst in the International League (behind Louisville at 4.96), so there's a ways to go to get back on track.