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MWL1 Burlington Bees

Clinton Sweeps DH from Bees

April 8, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Burlington Bees News Release


Burlington, IA - The Burlington Bees (1-2) were shutout for 15 innings as the Clinton LumberKings (2-1) won 1-0 in eight innings and 2-0 to sweep a double-header at Community Field tonight. The Bees failed to take advantage of outstanding starting pitching as Ryan DiPietro and Gilbert De La Vara combined for 10.2 shutout innings.

DiPietro started the first game and established a new career high with 6.2 innings pitched and allowed three hits, three walks, and struck out three. Clinton starter Zach Phillips matched him inning for inning with a career-high seven shutout innings of his own- allowing four hits, no walks, and striking out four. Chris Hayes (0-1) finished the seventh inning for DiPietro, but surrendered the game's only run in the eighth. Truan Mehl and Matt Smith each singled to start the inning. Johnny Whittleman followed with a dribbler in front of the mound that Hayes fielded and on a bang-bang play at first, his throw went past Miguel Vega. Whittleman was credited with an infield hit and Hayes was charged with an error as Mehl raced in to score and Smith went to third. After an intentional walk to Joe Kemp, Hayes got Brian Valichka to hit into a 5-2-3 double play and went on to get out of the jam without allowing any more runs.

Cain Byrd relieved Phillips in the bottom of the seventh and walked Jose Duarte to start the inning. Ethien Sanana advanced him to second with a sacrifice bunt and then Byrd hit both Valentino Arce and Chris McConnell with pitches to load the bases. Cain got out of the jam and earned his first save by striking out Mario Lisson and Kiel Thibault to end the inning. Phillips (1-0) got the win.

In the night-cap, De La Vara allowed one hit, no walks, and struck out three in four shutout innings in just his second professional start. Yovany Damico (0-1) replaced him in the fifth and finished the final three innings. After a scoreless fifth, Smith placed a soft line drive inside the left field line for a one-out double in the sixth. Mehl came in as a pinch-hitter and drew a walk. The two then pulled off a double-steal to get runners to second and third with one out. Damico struck out Whittleman for the second out and intentionally passed Joe Kemp to load the bases. The strategy backfired when Damico also walked Ben Crabtree to force in the game's first run before getting out of the inning. Clinton added an insurance run in the seventh. Terry Blunt led off with an infield single off Damico's foot and stole second base. After a strikeout, Jose Vallejo hit a long fly ball to center that Duarte caught over his shoulder on the run. Blunt tagged up and scored all the way from second, sliding under the tag of a close play at the plate. The Bees argued that tag and appealed that Blunt left early to no avail.

The play proved inconsequential as the Bees went down in order in the bottom of the seventh and mustered just one hit in the entire second game. The only hit was a single by Thibault in the bottom of the first that ended with him being thrown out trying to stretch the play into a double. Starter JB Diaz pitched four innings in a spot start. Jose Marte (1-0) pitched the final three innings and struck out four for the win.

The Bees and LumberKings wrap up this series tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 at Community Field on a Louisa Communications Kids Day. Gates open at 1:00 as RH David Henninger goes to the mound for the Bees against RH Jacob Rasner for Clinton. The game will be broadcast live on KBUR AM 1490 and KBKB AM 1360 with the pre-game show starting at 1:40.

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