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Hawks Take Lugnuts to School, Win 14-4

May 27, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Silver Hawks News Release


The South Bend Silver Hawks (32-19) won their tenth consecutive home game and completed a series sweep of the Lansing Lugnuts (24-27) 14-4 on Tuesday at Four Winds Field, in front of a crowd of 6,051, the largest so far this season. Blake Perry (W, 4-2) threw six innings of two-run ball for the win while first baseman Steve McQuail led the offense with four hits and four RBIs. Shortstop Andrew Velazquez also extended his hitting streak to 19 games, as he went 3 for 5 with two runs scored, an RBI, and his league-leading 11th triple. The Hawks posted their season-high in hits with 21 in the game.

The 10:35am start did not seem to bother the Silver Hawks as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning against starter Shane Dawson (L, 2-2). With one out, second baseman Jamie Westbrook grounded a single through the shortstop hole. He stole second on a called strike three to designated hitter Daniel Palka. McQuail then got his first hit of the game, a double to right that scored Westbrook for a 1-0 Hawks lead. Right fielder Zach Esquerra followed with a ground ball single to left that plated McQuail and the Hawks took a 2-0 lead into the second inning.

Lansing, the Class-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Center fielder D.J. Davis singled up the middle to lead off the inning. Second baseman Dickie Joe Thon lined a single to left that put runners at first and second with nobody out. Perry then seemed to lose the strike zone as he walked L.B. Dantzler on four pitches to load the bases. After inducing a foul out for the first out of the inning, Perry walked catcher Jorge Saez on four straight pitches to force in the first Lugnuts run of the game. Right fielder Chaz Frank followed with a ground ball single to right that tied the game at two and kept the bases loaded with just one out. Perry recovered to dodge any further trouble by striking out designated hitter Santiago Nessy and left fielder Ian Parmley to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.

South Bend, the Class-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning with one swing of the bat. Third baseman Marty Herum led off the inning by hitting a 2-0 pitch from Dawson over the right field fence for his first homerun of the season and a 3-2 Hawks lead.

The Hawks blew the game wide open in the bottom of the fifth against Lansing reliever Alberto Tirado. Tirado started the inning in relief of Dawson and proceeded to allow the first six hitters to reach safely. McQuail led off with his third hit of the game, a single to center. Esquerra followed with a double to right that plated McQuail for a 4-2 Hawks lead. Left fielder Chuck Taylor walked as did catcher BJ Lopez to load the bases. Herum hit a long double to center that scored Esquerra and Taylor while moving Lopez to third. Center fielder Breland Almadova walked to once again load the bases. Tirado finally recorded his first out by getting shortstop Andrew Velazquez to hit a grounder to first that resulted in a force play at home. Westbrook reached on an unsuccessful fielder's choice as Velazquez beat the throw to second. Herum scored on the play and the Hawks led 7-2. Tirado then struck out Palka for the second out of the inning before being replaced by Phil Kish. Kish surrendered a bases clearing double to McQuail to put the Hawks ahead 10-2 before retiring Esquerra to end the inning.

Blake Perry kept the Lugnuts off the scoreboard after allowing two in the third. He allowed just two more baserunners the rest of the way on a hit batter and a dropped ball strikeout wild pitch. Perry finished the day with seven strikeouts and just four hits allowed in six innings. Steve Hathaway entered the game in the top of the seventh inning in relief of Perry and retired the Lugnuts in order.

The Silver Hawks bats kept on going in the bottom of the seventh inning. Brady Dragmire entered the game to start the inning and allowed the first four batters to reach. Almadova singled to center to lead off the inning. Velazquez followed with an RBI triple to center field. Westbrook flared a single into center that scored Velazquez for a 12-2 lead. Palka got his first hit of the game with a ground ball single through the right side that advanced Westbrook to second. After a 6-4-3 double play moved Westbrook to third, he came around to score on a wild pitch for a 13-2 Hawks lead.

The Lugnuts put up a couple of consolation runs in the top of the eighth inning against Hathaway. Saez led off with a single to center. Frank hit a grounder back to the pitcher but Hathaway's throw to second pulled Velazquez off the bag as Saez was safe on the throwing error. Nessy walked to load the bases with no outs. Parmley hit into a force play at second that scored Saez from third to cut the lead to 13-3. Second baseman Jason Leblebijian lined a double to left to score Frank before Hathaway struck out Davis and got Thon to fly out to right to end the inning with the score 13-4 in favor of the Hawks.

The Hawks scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. With two outs in the inning, Herum walked. Almadova singled to center and Velazquez walked to load the bases. Westbrook lined a single off the pitcher to score Herum and make it 14-4 before Palka grounded out to end the inning. John Shuttleworth came into the game in the ninth to close it out and threw a perfect ninth to end the game and complete the sweep.

The Hawks head out on the road for a three-game series at the Lake County Captains, the Class-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, beginning on Wednesday night. They return home on Saturday night to face the Bowling Green Hot Rods, the Class-A affiliate of the Tampa Rays, for three games. Saturday night is Flat Screen Saturday where the Silver Hawks will be giving away a 39" flat screen television. There will also be free wine tastings presented by Gallo Barefoot Wine. It is both Michiana Cancer Survivors Day and Cancer Survivors Night. Finally, the first 750 fans through the gates will receive a free Silver Hawks baseball cap.



Midwest League Stories from May 27, 2014


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