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MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Palmer's blast wins epic

August 26, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


The Swing of the Quad Cities battled both the Kane County Cougars and Mother Nature Friday night, eventually outlasting them both to win a dramatic, 4-3, ballgame in walkoff fashion at John O'Donnell Stadium. After Kane County broke a 1-1 deadlock with two runs in the top of the ninth, Quad Cities rallied to tie the score in the bottom half before Cody Palmer's solo home run won it in the tenth.

The victory kept Quad Cities (33-26, 69-59) atop the Midwest League's Western Division as they fight for a second-half playoff berth. They now sit 2.5 games ahead of Beloit and three full games in front of Kane County (30-29, 61-67), their two closest playoff competitors.

With the game tied at three in the bottom of the tenth, Cody Palmer refused to let the game last any longer. Having caught a pair of doubleheaders just last weekend - and with another twin bill looming Saturday - one extra inning was enough. With one out and a 2-2 count, the Dakota Wesleyan product connected for only his second home run since joining Quad Cities, a no-doubter beyond the left field fence.

The blast immediately brought the fans that remained from the original crowd of 4,416 to their feet, four hours and 28 minutes after the game's first pitch. The ten-inning contest took three hours and eight minutes to play, but included an eighty minute rain delay in the top of the second inning.

Down 3-1 with three outs remaining in the ninth, it took a clutch rally to force extras in the first place. After a strikeout opened the frame, Nick Stavinoha and Chris Patrick stroked back-to-back singles. When they each advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch, pinch-hitter Wes Swackhamer brought the Swing to within a run with a groundout to first base. And with two away and the tying run at third base, Juan Lucena spoiled a number of Mike Mitchell offerings before poking a line drive into right field that plated Patrick and tied the ballgame.

The Swing opened the scoring all the way back in the first inning, as Matt Lemanczyk led things off with a single. One pitch later he stole second base - his 43rd theft of the season - and was subsequently bunted to third. The speedy outfielder scampered home moments later, when starter Ryan Ford's 12th wild pitch of the season skipped by catcher Raul Padron.

But after the eighty-minute rain delay, Gregorio Petit took over for the Cougars. Petit went 4-for-4 on the day, and accounted for all three Kane County scores. After tying the game at one run apiece with a solo shot in the third, he stepped up again with a man aboard in the top of the ninth. After a two-out walk issued by Mike Sillman Petit turned on the first pitch he saw, slugging a two-run blast deep to left to give his team the 3-1 edge.

Despite being in line for the loss, it was Sillman (7-2) who ended up taking the win. The side-arming right-hander hurled a 1-2-3 tenth frame, striking out three in his two innings of work.

For the Cougars it was Derek Tharpe (2-7) taking the loss. Tharpe recorded the last out of the ninth and the first of the tenth before slipping up against Palmer, yielding his eighth home run of the season.

UP NEXT: The Swing continue their series with the Kane County Cougars with a Saturday doubleheader. The Swing will send Matt Scherer (9-7, 3.68) to the hill against Michael Rogers (6-7, 5.00) in the opener, with Phillip Andersen (4-1, 2.94) to take on Ryan Webb (5-11, 4.63) in the nightcap. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00, and pre-game coverage on WKBF AM-1270 will begin at 4:45.

PROMOTION: Saturday's doubleheader will feature a Swing lunch box giveaway courtesy of Hy-Vee.

Check out the Quad Cities River Bandits Statistics



Midwest League Stories from August 26, 2005


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