Pitching Scheme in Shreds, But Durham Bulls Still Winning

Season: 9-3; Trip: 4-0
Wrap, Box, Charlotte Observer

Six in a row is a big deal. This team is looking good. Adversity and roster turmoil does not seem to be taking a toll on them … yet.

The Knights management took a page out of the Bulls book and moved the game up 30 minutes to try to escape a rainout. It worked. But the Bulls ripped off four runs in the first inning and that was enough.

Those early runs made a huge difference since the Bulls were short yet another pitcher when young Enny Romero was scratched, apparently just in case he would be needed by the Rays. See Outside the Game below for more. Juan Sandoval showed his maturity with a solid three innings. Rehabbing Juan Carlos Oviedo made a bid for trivia immortality with a 7-pitch, 1-inning win. I say made a bid, because I’m not going to look it up. It might have been a good moment for Brad Boxberger to come in, but wait, he was in Baltimore with the Rays where he had a crisp 1 inning, 10 pitch, 1K appearance. Steve Gelz did three innings, and Adam Liberatore and Kirby Yates wrapped it up.

The Bulls got their first shutout of the year. On the road. That’s very, very nice.

Meanwhile, Mikie Mahtook played left field in the Knights’ new park, batted 6th and had himself a terrific 5 for 5 night.

Is Vince Belnome getting his eye back? Maybe. He got his first home run last night.

Outside the game —

• These last several days we Bulls fans have had any number of reminders that the Durham Bulls have limited control over their roster. When the mother ship comes under fire and starts taking on water, some folks get sent to the lifeboats and others are summoned from steerage to the bridge to keep her from foundering. 
• Former Bull Matt Moore is out for at least a year. That means that Erik Bedard’s 4 innings back on April 6 could be his only appearance in a Bulls uniform, ever.
• Former Bull Alex Cobb has strained an oblique. We don’t quite know what that may mean to the Bulls. At a minimum that was part of the carousel that Jeff Beliveau and Brad Boxberger have been on.
• Then former Bull Jake Odorizzi, scheduled to pitch today in Baltimore, was reported to be under the weather, so Enny Romero was scratched from his start last night. 
• Who’s next?