Up until first pitch, use the comments section to predict who you think will be the Sunburst Player of the Game. (be sure to use a valid email address while leaving the comment). The commenter that correctly predicts who we will name the Sunburst Player of the Game the most times prior to the all-star game, will win two tickets to a second-half game. Runners-up get their choice of a t-shirt. [Click HERE for rules]
Check Marc Topkin’s blog for the starting lineups.
The GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.
click above image for boxscore
THE GOOD: Pat Burrell. He got mad at the team. He got mad at himself. And in the first inning, he hit a 3-run home run. In his second at bat he added an RBI single. And now we kinda wish he would have gotten upset sooner. Like maybe in Spring Training…Zorilla. Ben Zobrist was 3-4 with a single, double and triple.
THE BAD: Blowing Early Leads. The Rays blew another early lead, up 4-0 after 1 and 5-0 after 3…Niemann Tired? Joe Maddon and Jeff Niemann both say no. But Niemann has now hit his career high in innings pitched and last night his fastball was both not fast and very inconsistent. He was throwing 89-93 with too many at the 89 end…The Bullpen. Jeff Niemann got pounded for 6 runs, but the score was still 6-5 when he left. 5 relievers took care of that, giving up 4 runs, including 2 home runs.
THE TELLING: Reid Brignac made his second straight start, this time at second base.
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: Pat Burrell.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
Durham 4, Montgomery 1 (Durham leads 1-0). Durham took game 1 of the Governor’s Cup Championship Series behind Jeremy Hellickson who did not allow a run until the 7th. He finished with 6.2 innings and 1 run on 5 hits and a walk. He struck out 6…Sean Rodriguez got the scoring started with an RBI single in the first…Joe Dillon add an RBI single in the 6th and Michel Hernandez capped the scoring with a 2-run single.
Charlotte 3, Tampa 1 (Series tied 2-2). David Newmann with a gem to keep Charlotte alive in the FSL championship series. He worked 8.2 innings, giving up just 1 run in the 9th inning. He did not give up a hit until the 7th and in the first 8 innings, he did not allow a run on just 2 hits and a walk…Greg Sexton provided all the offense with a 3-run home run in the 6th…Game 5 will be tonight.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
