Boy in Blue Blew Two

Season: 83-51; Home Games Remaining: 2; Games Left in Season: 9
Wrap, Box, Herald-Sun

Mike Montgomery had one of his best nights of the year, but the Bulls weren’t hitting. In fact, they’ve gone two full games without an extra base hit.

Nevertheless, things could have been different without two egregiously bad calls by first base umpire Ben May. In the 6th he called Brandon Guyer out on a pickoff throw that Guyer clearly beat to the bag. In the 8th with the bases loaded he blew a call where the first baseman was obviously pulled off the bag at the end of a 3-2-3 double play. (I was up on top of the Blue Monster and could see the 1B off the bag.)

At this stage of the season I suppose we can be a bit philosophical about these sorts of thing. More than that, these were only two bad calls in what’s been a pretty good season for the IL’s umpires (in my view). But, the same guy? Twice in one game?

Nice to see Brandon Guyer back in the game. He  was 0-3 with a BB, but looked just fine in the field. In fact, when Evan Frey took left field in the 9th, it was the first time in what seems like a couple of months that the Bulls have had three ballplayers in the outfield who came up through the system as outfielders. Could mean good things for the playoffs.

This was only the sixth time the Bulls have been shut out this season. Bulls pitchers/defense have had eight shutouts of their opponents. So far.

Outside the game —

• Kevin Kiermaier was named the Montgomery Biscuits Most Valuable Player for 2013. Congratulations Kevin! [Tnx, Biscuit Crumbs]
• I know a lot of folks don’t like the Rays’ Tropicana Field, but where else in baseball would you get a shot like this? [Tnx, Rays Index]