MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Swing dominate Lugnuts, 8-1

Published on May 25, 2005 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


Matt Scherer was dominant on the mound and the Swing offense was on top of its game as Quad Cities downed Lansing, 8-1, Wednesday night at John O'Donnell Stadium. Matt Shepherd and Jake Mullinax had three hits apiece, but Scherer stole the show by throwing seven solid innings.

With Clinton's loss to Fort Wayne, the Swing pull to within half a game of first place, maintaining their 1.5 game advantage over second-place Wisconsin. There are 24 games remaining in the first half of the season, as what figures to be a three-horse race down the stretch develops.

Scherer had a shutout going until their were two outs in the seventh inning, having allowed up to that point only two hits and a walk. But Cory Patton belted a homer for Scherer's only blemish, and after the inning his day was done. The righty improved his record to 2-2 – winning for the first time since his first start of the season back on April 24 – allowing just one run on three hits and two walks, striking out five.

The scoring began in the third inning, as Shepherd led off the frame with a single. After the next two men were retired in order, Lansing starter Chi-Hung Cheng looked to be out of the inning before Joe Mather lifted a high flyball to left-center that left the yard, giving the Swing a 2-0 lead. The blast was the eighth of the season for Mather, who had been 1-for-20 over his previous six games but was re-installed as the cleanup hitter on Wednesday.

The next inning, Jake Mullinax extended his hitting streak to eight games with a leadoff single. After a Mike Ferris walk, Simon Williams jumped on a 1-1 pitch, driving it to left-center to plate both runners ahead of him. Williams later came home to score on a Rick Ankiel sacrifice fly, pushing the lead to 5-0.

But the Swing were not done yet. Against Po-Hsuan Keng in the seventh, Derry Hammond singled with one out. Mullinax and Ferris then hit back-to-back doubles, the latter scoring two runs. Ferris was then replaced by Willams at second base after a fielder's choice, and two batters later Shepherd capped off the scoring with an RBI double of his own.

For the Lugnuts, Cheng (3-3) was saddled with the loss. Lasting only 3.1 innings, the native of Taiwan yielded five runs on three hits and four walks, fanning three.

For the home team Scherer was relieved by righty Justin Knoff, activated Wednesday after having been sent down to extended spring training earlier in the week. He responded with two scoreless and hitless innings of his own, striking out two and walking one.

UP NEXT: The Swing and Lugnuts play the final contest of their four-game series on Thursday, when Quad Cities sends Dennis Dove (4-2, 3.75) to take the mound against Lansing's Danny Core (0-1, 5.14). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00, and pregame coverage on Progressive Talk AM 1270 will begin at 6:45. Tickets are available to all Swing home games by calling (563) 328-2000.

HOMESTAND REPORT: The Swing's current homestand runs through Memorial Day, Monday, May 30. The Swing will be giving away I-Wireless Swing T-Shirts on Friday night, and BirdZerk! will come to town on Saturday. Sunday night will be a 7:00 start time followed by post-game fireworks, courtesy of KWQC-TV6, and Monday will be a special Memorial Day matinee.

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Midwest League Stories from May 25, 2005


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