Another Nice Sunday in the Park

Mike Fontenot chases Norfolk's Jamile Weeks out of the base path for an out (he then tossed to 1B for double play)
Photo by Christine T. Nguyen, Durham Herald-Sun

Season: 49-43; Home Stand: 1-0; Last 10: 4-6
Wrap, Box, Herald-Sun

After tonight the Bulls will not play another game in the DBAP until July 21. That’s 13 days without seeing the Bulls play at home. We will not be without baseball, of course, but it will only (only!) be the All-Star Game on July 16. This will be the longest stretch without a home Bulls game this entire season. What to do?

Well, we could go to a Mudcats game. The Cleveland Advanced A team will be home on July 11-14. Or drive over to Burlington to take a look at the Kansas City Royals Rookie League team the Burlington Royals, who will be home from July 9 to 14. Or combine a trip to the mountains with a couple of games in Asheville, watching the Asheville Tourists. The Single A team of the Colorado Rockies will be playing at home July 8-9 and 15-17. In between here and the mountains you’ve also got the Greensboro Grasshoppers and the Winston-Salem Dash (both Carolina League Teams). Lastly, if you’re headed to the beach, there’s the Wilmington Sharks (Coastal Plain League, wooden bat collegiate league), July 11-12 or the Wilmington Blue Rocks, Single A, Royals July 11 thru 14.

Meanwhile, last night’s game was yet another chance for Nathan Karns to show his stuff. He did OK, and made it through a rough spot in the 5th. However, as manager Charlie Montoyo was quoted in the Herald-Sun,

“Every time we scored, he didn’t stop them,” Montoyo said. “He went into the sixth, but I expect better from him. … Too many pitches up in the zone. At this level and the next, they’re going to make you pay.”

This has not been a year for big guns, but Wilson Betemit and new(ish) guy Jeremy Moore are making noise recently and they both got homers last night. The Bulls only have 65 home runs on the year (6th in the league), and even though that is hardly a good measure of a team (Charlotte with the worst won-loss numbers in the league has the most home runs) it is still nice to fun to see the ball sail out of the park.

Outside the game —

• Jeremy Hellickson is to start a game Tuesday with the Tampa Bay Rays. Guess that means he won't be back in a Bulls jersey next week.
• Vince Belnome and Jeff Beliveau are being sent back to the Durham Bulls. Belnome got in one game as a designated hitter and went 0 for 3. Beliveau did not throw a pitch during his visit this time.
• Cole Figueroa remains with the Rays. He's been in 3 games this visit, 8 plate appearances, no hits.