bgorman@heraldsun.com; 419-6668
DURHAM -- After falling in the Governors' Cup Finals the past two seasons, the Durham Bulls are hoping this will be their year to capture their first International League title since 2003.
The Bulls' postseason begins today as Durham, the South Division winner, hosts Louisville, the West Division winner, at Durham Bulls Athletic Park at 7:05 p.m. in the first round of the playoffs. Whoever wins the best of five series will move on to face the winner of the Gwinnett vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre matchup in the Governors' Cup Finals.
But Durham manager Charlie Montoyo isn't looking beyond today's game just yet.
"We're just ready for Louisville and if we make it to the end then great," Bulls manager Charlie Montoyo said. "I just think it's an accomplishment just to make it to this point with all the movement so I'm not going to take that for granted. But of course, yeah, I would like to win the league but we'll take it one series at a time."
The Bulls (83-61) have a 5-3 edge over the Bats (84-58) this season, but the last time the two teams met was on July 19. Since then both teams have gone through significant roster changes, the most recent being one of Durham's top hitters, Chris Richard, getting called up to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.
"That's the way it goes," Montoyo said. "But again I was really happy to tell Chris Richard he was going up. I said, 'It's going to be tough for us in the playoffs but congratulations,' because that guys been with me for three years now and he was one of my leaders."
The Bats have also seen roster changes, the biggest additions being major leaguers Jay Bruce and Ryan Hanigan on rehab assignments.
"We've changed a lot, they've changed a lot so it's almost two different teams going at it since we played them two months almost," Durham pitcher Dale Thayer said.
Montoyo said the playoffs are going to come down to pitching, and the Bulls will put one of the their best, Jeremy Hellickson, on the mound tonight. The righty is 6-1 with a 2.51 ERA, and he will be facing Travis Wood (4-2, 3.14 ERA). Durham will also get a boost from the return of Mitch Talbot on Thursday, who is coming back from an injury but will be limited to just four innings. Jason Cromer will pitch the third game, but beyond that Montoyo isn't sure.
"If Hellickson throws the way he's been throwing, we're going to have a pretty good chance," Montoyo said. "I don't know what to expect from Talbot but if he throws like the Talbot we know we're going to have a chance in that game, at least for those four innings."
But no matter what happens in the playoffs Montoyo, who has led Durham to the postseason in each of his three seasons as manager, is happy his team has made it this far.
"We had a hell of year," Montoyo said. "From now on it's whatever happens, but we're going to play our best."
NOTE -- Hurricanes forward Erik Cole will throw out the ceremonial first pitch for today's playoff game and center Chad LaRose will throw out the first pitch for Thursday's game.
