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MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Late runs propel Swing to easy win

August 7, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


Swing score seven runs in final four innings in 8-1 win; Scherer tosses seven strong frames for win

Matt Scherer kept the Swing in a nailbiter early and the Swing offense acted up over the late going as the Swing cruised to an 8-1 victory over the Burlington Bees on Sunday afternoon at John O'Donnell Stadium. The Swing have won two straight games against Burlington (57-57, 23-21) to open the series, and remain one full game ahead of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers entering Monday's scheduled off day.

After waiting eight innings to score in their comeback win on Saturday night, the Swing needed only four batters to tally on Sunday afternoon. With one out, Juan Lucena was hit by a pitch, and Nick Stavinoha drilled a base hit into left, moving Lucena to third base. Eric Verbryke watched the second pitch dart low and inside, and Lucena scampered home on the wild pitch.

After Luis Cota allowed only an infield single through the next three innings, Quad Cities added to the lead in the bottom half of the fifth. Jake Mullinax drew a leadoff walk, and then Mike Ferris lined a double into left. After Cota struck out Cody Palmer, Casey Rowlett bounced a two-run single into center for a 3-0 Swing lead.

The Swing added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, when Stavinoha, who had three hits on the day, drew leadoff walk from Cota. Eric Verbryke then drilled a towering fly ball down the right field line, powering it beyond the grass berm for a two-run homer and a 5-0 Swing lead. The blast was Verbryke's eighth of the season, and only the Swing's seventh since their four-homer outburst at Dayton on Sunday, July 17.

After Scherer allowed a two-out RBI triple for the only Burlington run in the top of the seventh, the Swing put a cap on the victory in the bottom of the seventh. Casey Rowlett drew a leadoff walk - the third straight leadoff walk allowed by Cota - then Matt Shepherd reached on a fielder's choice. After an infield single from Juan Lucena, Shepherd scored on Stavinoha's RBI single to left. Eric Verbryke singled to center to load the bases, and Jake Mullinax roped a two-out base hit into left, scoring both Lucena and Stavinoha for an 8-1 Swing lead.

Scherer befuddled Bees hitters all afternoon long, allowing only one run on four hits in seven frames of work to equal his season-long outing. After surrendering a two-out Damaso Espino single in the first inning, Scherer did not allow a base hit until the sixth. He allowed only one baserunner in that stretch, a Darwinson Salazar walk. At one point between the first and six innings, Scherer had retired 14 of 15 batters, including three strikeouts.

Scherer, who picked up his first loss since June 9 on Tuesday against Clinton, improved to 9-5 on the season, tying current Double-A reliever Kevin Ool for the team win lead. Since the All-Star break, Scherer has gone 7-1 with a 2.77 ERA in nine starts.

Matt Trent worked a scoreless eighth inning, while Tyler Adamczyk closed it out in the ninth.

UP NEXT: The Swing and Bees will take a scheduled off day Monday before continuing the series on Tuesday night, as the Swing send Phillip Andersen (3-1, 3.11) to the mound against Danny Christensen (3-5, 3.43). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00, and pregame coverage on Progressive Talk AM 1270 will begin at 6:45.

UPCOMING PROMOTION: Tuesday's game will be the annual Optimist Club night at John O'Donnell Stadium. The Optimist Club has bought out the entire Swing Kids Zone, which will be available free of charge all night long. Tickets are available for all Swing games by calling (563) 328-2000.

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