Lugnuts big shutout win helps set new win mark
September 4, 2004 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
GENEVA, IL-In front of nearly 100 friends and family at Elfstrom Stadium, Billy Petrick(13-7) hurled six shutout innings while fanning six and Brian Dopirak and Tony McQuade each hit homeruns as the Lugnuts(75-62, 37-30) blasted Kane County(82-54, 39-28) by a 14-0 score to establish a new franchise record for wins in a season with their 75th. The previous mark of 74 was set by the 2002 squad, a club that ended up winning 79 games all told before losing in four games in the Midwest League Championship Series. The 14-0 win is also the largest win for the Lugnuts this season.
In all, the Lugnuts cranked out 19 hits, including 11 off Cougars' starter Brad Knox(14-5), who also allowed a season high eight runs in 2.2 innings. Of the Lugnuts' 14 runs, 13 were scored with two outs in an inning. Brian Dopirak started that trend in the first when he launched his 39th homer of the season, a solo shot to right that moves him within three of tying for the Midwest League single season mark held by Jeffery Jones, who hit 42 in 1982 for Cedar Rapids. Dopirak struck again with two outs in the second, clubbing a two-run ground rule double to make it 3-0. Kevin Collins followed with a two-run single to make it 5-0 as McQuade and Dopirak scored.
After Anthony Granato's RBI single made it 6-0 in the third, McQuade went deep for the seventh time this season, again with two outs. The two-run shot chased Knox and gave Lansing an 8-0 edge. The team would then add two runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh off the Kane County bullpen. Alberto Garcia, as part of a 4-6 night, collected an RBI single in the sixth. Ryan Fitzgerald and Jake Fox would then add RBI's in the seventh, with Fitzgerald stroking a two-run triple.
While all the scoring was taking place, Petrick was simply outstanding in his final start of the regular season. He scattered two hits, escaping a two-on, none out situation in the second inning to help keep the early momentum generated by the offensive attack going. Adalberto Mendez, Walt Nolen and Weston O'Brien combined the keep the shutout intact out of Lansing's bullpen.
The series continues tomorrow night at 7:00 EST as a pair of lefthanders battle. Yorkin Ferreras(1-2) takes on Dallas Braden(2-0) at Elfstrom Stadium.
Midwest League Stories from September 4, 2004
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- Cougars rally falls short, 11 - 8 - Kane County Cougars
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- Kendrick homers and drives in 4 in Kernels' win - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Lugnuts jump out to big lead, then hang on - Lansing Lugnuts
- Hunt Reaches Milestone as 'Caps Seek Playoff Opponent - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Yanks blank Dragons 3-0 - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Yankees Win Thriller 3-0, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive - Dayton Dragons
- Whitecaps Cool Thunder To Take Series Lead - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Lugnuts big shutout win helps set new win mark - Lansing Lugnuts
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