Thursday, August 11, 2011

Ups ... and Downs

Game 115, Tuesday, August 9, DBAP
Durham Bulls 10, Rochester Red Wings 6
Wrap, Box, Herald-Sun, Indy Week

Game 116, Wednesday, August 10, DBAP
Red Wings 11, Bulls 3
Season: 66-50; Home Games Remaining: 10
Wrap, Box, Herald-Sun, Examiner

The lights flickered on Tuesday night, but all was well in the end.

But last night. Last night. Last night. Oh, woe. Oh, woe. Let's just tell the worst of it and move on to something else. The scoring summary gives a clue. Durham: 12 hits and 3 runs. Rochester: 8 hits and 11 runs. How can that be? Good question.

It all started in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Bulls starter Ryan Reid's "troubles" began with a two-out walk to Rochester right fielder Rene Tosoni. Reid then proceeded to walk the bases full, but got off the hook with a grounder to third.

The 3rd inning was possibly the worst inning I've seen the Bulls play this year. Mr. Reid walked the first two batters. Ray Olmedo (at shortstop) bobbled a grounder from the third batter and the bases were loaded. Reid then walked in a run and was pulled.

Brian Baker came in for his first appearance since July 25th. (Note to broadcaster Steve Barnes — love the stories you and Scott Pose tell each other, but love background on players more. No background on Baker's long vacation from baseball. Had to look it up after I got home.) Baker induced an easy ground ball and I'm thinking, OK another run but things will be OK. But Olmedo committed his second error of the inning and two runs scored, leaving runners on first and second. Double, single and three more runs were in. Three runs on two hits. It would have been worse except for an accurate throw from outfielder John Matulia to home that caught an overaggressive Rochester baserunner trying to score from first on the third hit off of Baker. But, I have to note that the run saved by Matulia was given back with a throw into the dugout after a Rochester double in the 7th. That runner then scored — a "Little League Home Run."

Last note before going on to other things: The 11 walks awarded by Bulls pitching was the most in a game this year and, to explain the rest of that odd scoring summary, Rochester's four double plays meant that a lot of the Bulls hits didn't lead to runs.

Web World


6 comments:

  1. Was very odd to see Ray Olmedo off his game last night...wierd

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  2. Agree. Trying to show off for Beckham? Beckham was in the dugout. Think he may start tonight. Also noticed that Hayhurst was dressed out. Maybe?

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  3. BTW, not really related to this story, but my wife informed me that Neil will be broadcasting the Rays' 4th and 5th today. They just got underway, so if you have MLB.com radio you should be good to go.

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  4. Don't have MLB.com (too cheap). How'd he sound?

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  5. Sorry for the late response. Neil, to me, is perhaps the best play by play guy on the air. The Tampa crew isn't too bad, but Neil's attention to detail is amazing, and as you'd expect he was on his game yesterday.

    The only "down" was that the Tampa color guy was on top of him a bit during the plays. But that's just a chemistry issue. Neil's used to pacing himself between plays because typically he's also the color guy.

    I'll miss Neil when he finally goes somewhere. I wonder who the replacement would be. Steve Barnes was always pretty good back in the day, but I feel he's lost a little bit in this most recent stint. Ken Tanner (no offense to him as a person at all) is terrible in the booth.

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  6. Agree that Neil is first rate play-by-play. I sometimes check in on the "other" broadcaster and they are invariably less interesting to listen to.

    My problem with Steve Barnes is that he loses focus on the game as it goes along. I love Scott Pose, but he has to be kept on a leash and Neil does that very nicely. If just the two of them they get chatting and barely mention balls and strikes.


    Can't imagine Neil not moving on some day. Hope they can find someone as capable to replace when he does leave.

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