Education Day Win

Season: 6-7; Home Stand: 2-0
Wrap, Box

If you have never been to an “Education Day” at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, then you have missed an experience. Just imagine the park seething with thousands of youngsters (mostly middle schoolers, I think). No chance of getting to a concession stand, so bring your own snacks. Most of the children seem to be moving in colorful packs through the concourse. And they can be LOUD. But it’s fun. However, as an indication of their interest in baseball, they were collecting autographs from the peanut guy, who was able to get his call and response thing going late in the game. The next, and only other, Education Day is May 7th, against Buffalo. Check it out.

The baseball was fun as well. Alex Colome, who spent most of the last two years with the Durham Bulls, is with the team on a rehab assignment. Not sure for how long. He’s recovering from a bout of pneumonia and is on a limited pitch count. Today it was reportedly 75 pitches and he left the game at 77 pitches.

How did he do? Just OK. Plenty of velocity and a slowish curve ball that I don’t recall seeing last year. Odd collection of hits (4), walks (3), and strikeouts (6) over his 3⅓ innings. Did not hear how much longer he will be with the Bulls.

Meanwhile Joey Butler and new guy J.P. Arencibia were having fun at bat. Butler tripled and scored two runs. Arencibia had a timely sacrifice fly and a late inning RBI single. A home run from leadoff man Eugenio Velez was a pretty thing to watch.

Speaking of watching, Mikie Mahtook firmly established his credentials as a center fielder. Chasing down a fly ball in the 5th he crashed into the wall, and broke it, knocking one of the padded panels out. Game was delayed for several minutes while the ground crew went out to fix the panel. Then in the 7th he timed a catch and throw perfectly, making it an easy out on the runner trying to move from second to third.

Outside the game —

• For all the stats geeks out there: Jeremy Dowdy, the Charlotte Knights catcher, was playing in his first game at the Triple A level. In four plate appearances he had two singles and two walks. What’s his OPS?