
Perez steals way into record books
September 5, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Southwest Michigan Devil Rays News Release
BATTLE CREEK, MICH. -- Fernando Perez stole his 57th base of the season in the seventh inning of the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays 5-4 win over the Swing of the Quad Cities on Monday afternoon at C.O. Brown Stadium.
Perez set the franchise record in steals with a swipe of third base in the seventh inning which prompted a standing ovation from the crowd. The Devil Rays win combined with a West Michigan win in Lansing to ensure that Southwest Michigan enters the postseason as the second half wild-card. The Rays will face South Bend on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. in the first round.
The Rays and Swing traded runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings before the home team finished with a 5-4 lead. Devil Rays shorstop Brandon Rousseve, whose family was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, hit his first professional home run and added another hit to pace the squad.
Lavelle Morgan picked up his first win of the season with two perfect innings of relief. Jose De La Cruz notched his 19th save of the year with a scoreless ninth.
The Devil Rays finish the 2005 regular season with a five game winning streak, 72-67 overall record and a 39-31 second half mark. A Labor Day crowd of 2,311 attended to push the season total to 105,340. It is the first time since 1999 that the franchise has seen more than 100,000 people. The Devil Rays also had six games rained out throughout the year.
Midwest League Stories from September 5, 2005
- Midwest League announces playoff schedule - MWL1
- Snappers Win, Earn Western Division Wildcard - Beloit Sky Carp
- Rays head into playoffs as second half wild-card - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Ellis lands on DL again, Davidson activated - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Cougars miss playoffs on final day of season - Kane County Cougars
- Dragons end 2005 on winning note with 5-3 victory - Dayton Dragons
- Snapper beat Rattlers to get into the playoffs - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Whitecaps spoil Lugnuts season finale with 2-1 win - Lansing Lugnuts
- Whitecaps win, will face Fort Wayne in playoffs - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Perez steals way into record books - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Swing lose in playoff tuneup - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Tharpe activated for clutch game in playoff chase - Kane County Cougars
- Snappers lose to Rattlers for the second straight game - Beloit Sky Carp
- LumberKings win again - Clinton LumberKings
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