Durham Bulls Back to .500 on Walk Off

Season: 8-8; Home Stand: 4-1; Standings
Wrap, Box, Herald-Sun [paywall]

Joey Butler was last night’s hero accounting for half of the Bulls’ RBIs, most spectacularly with the walk-off home run that won the game. At 29 he’s one of the senior members of the team and he’s got plenty of AAA time under his belt, parts of 5 seasons, not counting a stretch in Japan last year. He has some major league time with both the Rangers and the Cardinals. [stats] Happy to have him here to hit the first Bulls homer over the Blue Monster that I’ve seen this year, plus the double to right field in the first inning.

Nice ending to what was something of a struggle for starting pitcher Dylan Floro and reliever Jim Miller. Floro gave up two home runs (in the 2nd and the 4th), but it was the lengthy 5th inning where he seemed to lose his touch. Jim Miller, at 33 the elder statesman of the bullpen crew, came in to end the 6th and had a clean 7th. However, he gave up the tying run in the 8th, setting the stage for Joey Butler’s heroics.

Mikie Mahtook was back in town after a very short, one game, no plate appearance visit with the Rays. He has not lost his touch. He got on base 4 out of five times with a walk, a hit-by-pitch and two singles. He scored three runs, to include the winning run when driven in by Butler’s homer.

Coming to the Bulls with Mahtook was first baseman Allan Dykstra. Mr. Dykstra was on the Bulls roster at the beginning of the year, but got called up to the Rays before the Bulls’ first game. That was the first visit of the 28 year old to the big leagues. He spent 2014 with the Mets AAA team out in Las Vegas with some pretty good power hitter numbers (OPS: .930 in 117 games with 16 home runs and 74 RBI. Stats.) Not a strong debut, 0-4 as the DH.

Rosterizing —

• As mentioned, Mikie Mahtook is back. Alan Dykstra is now with the team. Catcher Mayo Acosta is off to “Hudson Valley”.