Harbor Park Nice to the Bulls So Far

Wrap, Box, Virginia-Pilot

The Virginia-Pilot’s lead for their game story implies that local folks aren’t too happy with this year’s Tides team.

If it’s possible for nine innings to epitomize more than two weeks of slovenly baseball, it happened Friday at Harbor Park. 

On the other hand, MiLB has a nice story focusing on Bulls starter Nathan Karns who got the win in the Bulls second shutout of the season.

Season: 13-4; This Trip: 2-0 [Note: Bulls are 7-0 on the road this year]
Wrap, Box, Herald-Sun

This was this year’s first extra-inning game and the team of Kevin Kiermaier and Mikie Mahtook created the win. Those two guys played together all of last year in Montgomery and after Kiermaier stole second and third base in the 11th, Mahtook brought him home. They make a terrific team.

The Herald-Sun link above does a nice job of putting Matt Adriese’s nice 7 inning start in perspective.

Outside the game —

• See DNA of Sports for a terrific backgrounder on outfielder Justin Christian and the home run he hit to his wife and child watching a game from Tobacco Road the other day.
• Relievers C.J. Riefenhauser and Brad Boxberger swapped places yesterday, with Riefenhauser being called up and Boxberger on his way back to the Bulls. A little bit of teasing over at Rays Index regarding the length of Riefenhauser’s name. He got in 1⅓ innings in last night’s slaughter of the Yankees, 2 Ks, no runs. The Tampa Bay Times has a nice story, as does Roger Mooney at the Tampa Tribune. 
• Stacy Long is changing how he reports on the Biscuits and the Rays system over at the Montgomery Advertiser. I’ll be changing my link to his work.
• I think I heard broadcaster Kinas speculate that Saturday's appearance might be the last for rehabbing Juan Carlos Oviedo. Similar ideas show up in the Tampa Bay Times story linked to above.