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MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Swing break out bats for win

June 2, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


The Swing blasted eleven runs on fourteen hits Thursday night, as Juan Lucena led the attack and Quad Cities defeated Fort Wayne 11-2 at Memorial Stadium. The shortstop went 2-for-4 with a grand slam and five RBI as the Swing snapped a four-game losing streak with a new-look lineup.

Quad Cities improved to 29-24 with the win over Fort Wayne (29-23), keeping pace with first-place Wisconsin at a game and a half back.

After two games of offensive futility, the Swing's reshuffled lineup paid dividends early. Hitting second in the lineup, Brandon Yarbrough connected on a 1-0 pitch and drove it the other way for a solo home run and an early 1-0 lead.

In the third inning, Quad Cities came out swinging again and blew the game open. Jarrett Hoffpauir walked with one out, and Rick Ankiel then grounded his second single of the game through the right side. Mike Ferris then drew a two-out walk to load the bases, and Jake Mullinax extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a two-run double to right. Following a Chris Patrick walk, Juan Lucena dealt Fort Wayne the inning's big blow, crushing the first pitch he saw to left for his first longball of the season, and the first grand slam of his 160-game career.

The shortstop was not done, however. After Patrick slapped a two-out single to left-center in the top of the fifth inning, Lucena crushed another two out hit, this time doubling to left for his career-high fifth RBI of the game.

Leading 8-1, the Swing went back to work in the eighth. Pinch hitter Wes Swackhamer started the rally with a one-out single, and he was followed by a Joe Mather walk. Matt Lemanczyk, who came in earlier as a pinch runner for Ferris, then drove in a run with a single to left. With two men on, Mullinax then capped off the Quad Cities scoring barrage with his second two-run double of the night, driving a liner to right field for an 11-1 advantage.

Mike Parisi (3-4) looked strong again on the mound, tossing 6.2 innings of one-run ball and yielding only four hits. After giving up a leadoff double in the first, the righty did not give up his second hit until there were two outs in the sixth inning.

Jeff Randazzo allowed one run in 1.1 innings of relief, and Mike Sillman closed the door with a one-hit ninth in a non-save situation.

For the Wizards, Clayton Hamilton (7-3) was roughed up for the loss. He walked a season-high four batters and allowed seven runs on seven hits to lose his second straight start.

UP NEXT: The Swing close out their four-game series at Fort Wayne Friday night, with Donnie Smith (0-1, 11.25) making his second Swing start against Joel Santo (2-4, 5.29) for the Wizards. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 on WKBF 1270-AM, and pre-game coverage will begin at 6:45.

NEXT HOME GAME: The Swing return home to begin a seven-game homestand on Wednesday, June 9, as they take on the Peoria Chiefs. It will be a Hooters/97 Rock night at the ballpark, as well as 70's night with the Swing! We'll have live music on the party deck from 6:00 until game time, and drink specials will continue until 8:30.

Check out the Quad Cities River Bandits Statistics



Midwest League Stories from June 2, 2005


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