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MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Anderson fuels the comeback bid with first homer of the season and 3-for-4 night

May 20, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


The Swing of the Quad Cities came thundering back with the last five runs of the ballgame Saturday night at John O'Donnell Stadium, but fell short in a 6-5 loss to the Clinton LumberKings. 19-year-old catcher Bryan Anderson led the rally with his first home run of the season and two late doubles, but was left at second base as the potential game-tying run in the bottom of the ninth.

Quad Cities (17-23) loses their second ballgame in a row, falling to a season-low six games under .500 for the second time in four days. Clinton (14-28) snaps a four-game losing streak, handing the Swing a rough homestand-opening loss in front of a raucous crowd of 4,221.

Down 6-1 at the seventh inning stretch, Jose Martinez doubled and scored in the bottom of the seventh to start the rally. In the bottom of the eighth Anderson came through with a run-scoring double of his own, crossing the plate two batters later on a line drive single up the middle from Matt Wilkerson.

Having already pulled to within 6-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Randy Roth led off with a single. He remained at first base with two outs, when Anderson came up to the plate again. Already with a home run and a double under his belt, the 2005 fourth-rounder pulled another two-bagger inside the baseline at first to plate Roth and pull to within one. But the potential tying run would advance no further, stranded at second base when pinch-hitter Brandon Yarbrough struck out swinging to bring the furious rally to a sudden halt.

For the second night in a row, the Swing fell behind in the first inning. Jose Vallejo reached base on a fielder's choice, and proceeded to steal both second and third. John Mayberry then turned on a ball and drove it to left field, and when A.J. Van Slyke lost it in the sun it traveled all the way to the wall for an RBI double, giving Clinton the early 1-0 advantage.

The LumberKings added to the lead in the fourth, sparked by a leadoff bomb to right field by Freddie Thon. After a one-out hit batsman, K.C. Herren roped a triple inside the right field line, coming home one batter later on a single by Johnny Whittleman past a drawn-in infield. Two walks later starter Mark McCormick was pulled from the ballgame, but Clinton had already taken control with a 4-0 score.

That was the count in the sixth inning when Bryan Anderson came to the plate to open the frame. After working the count full Anderson tagged his first home run of the year, a blast over the fence that turned into a souvenir for a lucky fan on the crowded berm in right field. Quad Cities pulled to within 4-1 at the time.

Juan Jimenez (1-0) took the win in his second spot start of the season, throwing six strong one-run innings while allowing two hits and facing only one batter more than the minimum. After he was removed two relievers combined to give up four runs - three earned - in three innings, though Jose Marte (2) did hold on for the save in the ninth.

McCormick (1-3) had his second rough outing in a row, lasting only 4.1 innings and allowing four runs on five hits. The 43rd overall pick in the 2005 draft out of Baylor struck out four, but also walked four, hit a batter, and allowed the home run to Thon.

Trey Hearne entered the contest in the eighth, throwing a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout. The soft-tossing righthander out of Texas A&M Corpus Christi has now retired the last 21 batters he has faced, and is flawless out of the bullpen since making his lone start of the season on May 2.

UP NEXT: The Swing of the Quad Cities will their series with the Clinton LumberKings on Sunday. RHP Kyle Sadlowski (2-1, 3.86) is slated to pitch opposite RHP Kyle Rogers (0-4, 5.67). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., with coverage on Progressive Talk AM-1270 beginning at 6:45 p.m.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS: Sunday will be a Mix 96 Family Fun Day, followed by a Q106.5 $1 Monday. If you have been waiting for Wild West Night, that is coming up on Thursday in conjunction with a 97 Rock/Pluckers Thirsty Thursday. Baseball America magazines will be distributed on May 26, and your favorite characters from the Rugrats will be at John O'Donnell Stadium the same day thanks to Mediacom and Star 93.5. The busy homestand will conclude with a baseball cap (Mountain Dew, 97 Rock, Fox-18) giveaway on May 27 and another Mix 96 Family Fun Day on May 28 - also Scott County YMCA's day at the ballpark with post-game fireworks sponsored in part by KWQC, KUUL, and WOC.

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Midwest League Stories from May 20, 2006


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