Bulls Having Decent Home Stand

Charlotte inches back into first place

Game 136, Sunday, 28 August, Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Gwinnett Braves: 6
Durham Bulls: 10
Season: 59-77; Home Stand: 2-1; Games Left in Season: 8
Wrap, Box, Herald-Sun

Stats:
Game Score: Faria 29; Season 52 (12 starts, 60.2 innings)
Tm OPS: Game 1.086; Season .679; Difference .407

Jacob Faria's very shaky start was more than compensated for by Bulls' hitting and superb relief. Everyone but Jake Hager got at least one hit. Casey Gillaspie and Dayron Varona hit home runs. Richie Shaffer's line drive off the wall was one of his rare hits this year that looked like last year. Curt Casali may have just had the one hit, but he may have quietly sorted himself out. His wOBA is up to .372 since coming down from Tampa Bay.

I'm not at all ready to eat my words regarding Ryne Stanek, but it's only fair to point out that he got yesterday's win while pitching two clean innings.

Two recent returnees pitched yesterday. Casey Coleman, who went on the disabled list after an emergency appendectomy, is back and pitched for the last two outs of the 5th. Tyler Sturdevant, who was up and back to the Rays, pitched the 9th.

Should you noticed Dana Eveland's numbers? He started the season with the Rays, but has been with the Bulls since the All-Star break. In that time he's had 16 appearances, pitched 22 innings, and has a stellar ERA of just 0.38 and a WHIP of just 0.79. To put it a little differently, he's given up just one hit, a home run back on July 14th! The teams who passed on him when he was DFA'd back in early July must be regretting it.

Outside the game —

• The International League South remains in turmoil. As we noted several days ago, it appears to be Charlotte's to lose, although Gwinnett obviously has a shot at it. Charlotte closes out the season with three games against Louisville, three against Norfolk, and two against Gwinnett. Gwinnett stays in the South with three against Norfolk, three against the Bulls, and the two against Charlotte.
• After one inning with Tampa Bay, Steve Geltz is coming back.
• For a playoff circumstance that's truly weird, our colleague over in Montgomery, Alabama (one of the three minor league fan bloggers I know of) has just pointed out that a team can get into the Southern League playoffs by losing a game.