Living in NC, I try to make it to a Phillies MiLB game every year. The Durham Bulls are closest and easiest, but I honestly don't love the experience. It's like wannabe MLB. It's trying to be big, and Durham is a pretty big population center, so I get it, but I enjoy the smaller parks more. My tickets were $30 a pop, for seats near the top row between home plate and 1st base, but it was a necessity to stay in the shade under the fans. Temps at the start were 96°F. Year to year, I've got chances to see Jersey Shore in Greensboro (45 min), Winston-Salem (1hr 10 min), Hickory (2 hrs), Asheville (3.5 hrs). Reading goes to Richmond (3 hrs), or I can see LHV in Durham (35 min).

Yesterday, the Iron Pig won 10-4, wearing their Bacon USA unis. It started kinda ugly, with Durham getting 3 runs in the bottom of the second. Wilson got credited with an error bobbling a ball in LF, for which he got an assist from 2nd baseman Jim Haley. 1st and 2nd 1 out. Grounder to Kingery @ SS. Takes a bad hop and goes by him (understandable). Guy from 2nd gonna score easily. Weston doesn't pick it cleanly, and then throws to Haley standing near 2B. The runner from first never took his foot off the gas and had just rounded third when Haley got the ball. He never noticed him take off for home until it was way too late. They'd have nailed him by 20', but it didn't happen. In the bottom of the inning Podkul homers over the Blue Monster in LF to tie it up at 3.

Haley was out of position on a couple infield balls as well, where ball was hit to Kingery, and Haley just didn't even bother to cover 2nd base.

Otherwise, Hall drilled a ball to dead center for a home run, and in an odd turn of events, with LHV up 6 in the 9th inning, Durham opted to let their first baseman (Rob Brantly) pitch the ninth. He fanned Cody Roberts on 3 pitches around 60-70 mph. Haley popped out to short right. Kingery got down 0-2 I think, and then fouled off a bunch of pitches, got his timing right, and drilled one over the left center field wall for his 14th HR of the year.

Belatti pitched an uneventful 9th to secure the win.

Fireworks afterwards.