Relievers Take the Ball

Season: 45-54; Home Stand: 2-1; Bulls v. Iron Pigs: 4-3; Standings

Box, Wrap, Herald-Sun, Indy Week

Bulls relievers pitched one-hit, shutout ball for the last 4⅓ innings and the Bulls held on to a 6-4 lead. Terrific! We have to thank the Iron Pigs for the two unearned runs. But that’s OK, they got the freebie home run call.

Infielder Cole Figueroa was the batting hero with three RBI and he rightfully gets some attention in the Herald-Sun and Indy Week reports. Check out the links above.

A small side story this week involves Bulls outfielder Rich Thompson and Iron Pigs outfielder Kyle Hudson. At the beginning of the season Thompson was a long-serving veteran on the Iron Pigs roster and Hudson was a newcomer for the Bulls. But several weeks ago the Rays needed a temporary outfielder right away and the Phillies were apparently looking for a long-term possibility. So the Rays and Phillies traded. Hudson went to the Iron Pigs and Thompson went to the Rays where he played for a couple of weeks (appeared in 9 games). Thompson then came to Durham and has now played in 29 games as a Bull. Both batters have been batting leadoff in this series. Hudson is 3 for 13 with a RBI and a run scored in three games. Thompson has led off in two games and is 1 for 10 with a run scored. Looks like the match up is going Hudson’s way, so far.

Outside the game —

• What’s happened to the playing field? It looks just awful. Has anyone had a chat with groundskeeper Scott Strickland? If so, please pass on.
• No word yet on who will be pushed out for incoming infielder Will Rhymes. 
• Last night saw yet another controversy involving the “bicycle racks” on top of the outfield walls in center and left. Isn’t that a fixable problem? Or is it an umpire training issue? This time the call went against the Bulls, although they have gone in the Bulls favor in the past.