Herald-Sun Correspondent
DURHAM -- For a team with a double-digit lead in the International League's South Division, the Durham Bulls continue to face adversity.
Once again Sunday, the Bulls cleared another hurdle and kept on winning.
The Tampa Bay Rays front office ordered ace pitcher Jeremy Hellickson to skip his start for Durham a few hours before game time. That meant five Durham pitchers had to cover the game, which they did well in a 2-0 win over Indianapolis before 9,139 fans at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
After he pitched seven innings of two-run ball in his major league debut last Monday to help Tampa beat Minnesota 4-2, Hellickson was returned to Durham. But before he could pitch for the Bulls again, the Rays saw pitchers Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann experience shoulder discomfort.
Hellickson said he's heading to Detroit, where he is supposed to start for the Rays against the Tigers on Tuesday night. He will join Dan Johnson, the leading candidate for International League MVP, who was called up by the Rays last week.
Meanwhile, the Bulls roll on toward another South Division title as their lead is 14 over second-place Charlotte.
Aneury Rodriguez drew the emergency start, getting the news from Bulls manager Charlie Montoyo as he arrived at the ballpark. He, Joe Bateman, Jake McGee, R.J. Swindle and Winston Abreu shut down the Indians.
"We were hoping he'd give us four [innings] in a spot start," Montoyo said of Rodriguez.
The right-hander actually pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and walking four. Bateman replaced him with one out and two on in the fifth, retiring the only two hitters he faced to escape the jam.
McGee, just up from Class AA Montgomery, made a sterling Durham debut. Seeing Class AAA hitters for the first time, McGee struck out five of the six batters he faced in two perfect innings.
"It was great to see McGee blowing people out like that the first time we see him live," Montoyo said. "That was impressive."
McGee admitted being a little more fired up, but said he was not nervous about the step up in his career.
"I was a little amped up, but it didn't affect me that much," McGee said. "I was still throwing strikes."
Swindle took over in the eighth, allowing just a two-out infield single to John Bowker in the ninth. Montoyo brought in Winston Abreu, who struck out pinch-hitter Mitch Jones for his 17th save.
"It was beautiful to watch," Montoyo said. "I don't take that for granted. Both Swindle and Abreu."
Justin Ruggiano provided the offensive punch for Durham, collecting four hits and driving in both runs. Both RBIs came with two outs.
"It was good," Ruggiano said. "Sunday's are always tough with the sun out. It's tough to see so I was just happy to put the ball in play. Fans don't realize shadows kind of affect the hitters."
It seems nothing negatively the Bulls these days.
Note -- The Bulls enjoy a day off to break up their homestand. Durham returns to the DBAP Tuesday for a 7:05 p.m. game that starts a three-game series with Charlotte.
