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MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Swing hold on for sweep of Rattlers

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


Ankiel, Verbryke blast back-to-back home runs in first inning; Sillman gets third save of series in 11-8 win

The Swing of the Quad Cities took a commanding 6-0 lead in the early going and then fought off the feisty Wisconsin Timber Rattlers as they earned a 11-8 victory on Sunday afternoon at Fox Cities Stadium. With the win, the Swing completed a sweep of the first-half champion Timber Rattlers as Quad Cities comes home for a three-game series with Wisconsin.

The Swing have won five straight ballgames overall and seven of their last eight. During their current five-game winning streak, the Swing have scored at least eleven runs in four of their five wins. Quad Cities has scored 57 runs during the streak and, as a team, the Swing are on pace to score 739 runs on the season, which would be the second-highest total in the franchise's Midwest League history.

The Swing jumped out to the lead immediately, as Rick Ankiel and Eric Verbryke blasted back-to-back home runs for a 3-0 Quad Cities advantage. After Juan Lucena drilled a one-out single into center, Ankiel ripped a 2-2 pitch for a towering fly ball to right field, his ninth home run in 26 games. Verbryke wasted no time as he lined the first pitch he saw over the wall in right for Quad Cities 3-0 advantage.

The Swing added three more runs in the second inning, as Matt Shepherd had a leadoff single and Ankiel drew a two-out walk. Verbryke then split the right-center gap for a two-run double, and Jake Mullinax's single into right scored Verbryke for a 6-0 Swing advantage.

But the Rattlers came back to make it a game in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, the Rattlers scored thanks to a two-out RBI single from Brandon Green. The Rattlers then loaded the bases with two outs and one run in, and Yung Chi Chen hit a chopper towards third base for an RBI infield single. Matt Shepherd threw wild on the attempt at first base, allowing two more runs to throw, and then Mike Ferris' throw from the bullpen in right sailed into Wisconsin's bullpen, scoring Chen to make it a 6-5 game. The Swing's had not committed an error in the first three games of the second half, but committed two on the play to allow three unearned runs to come home.

The Swing got two of those runs back in the top of the fifth inning, extending the lead back to 8-5. Mullinax was hit by a pitch with one away, and then Wes Swackhamer ripped a triple into right-center, one-hopping the wall to score Mullinax. Mike Ferris had a sacrifice fly for the second run of the inning.

The Rattlers got both runs back in the bottom of the fifth, on RBI singles from Matt Tuiasosopo and Brandon Green. Quinton Robertson struck out Chen with the tying run at second base to end the threat in the fifth.

The Swing added an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning. Ferris singled to start the inning, and was bunted to second by Brady Toops. Calvin Hayes had a groundball double past diving first baseman Marshall Hubbard to score Ferris, increasing the Quad Cities lead to 9-7.

The Rattlers got the run back in the bottom of the eighth on an Oswaldo Navarro home run, and Chen followed with a hit and stood at first as the tying run. But Jaymie Torres threw out Chen at second on a sacrifice attempt, and then picked off Josh Womack to end the threat.

Quinton Robertson got the win for the Swing, striking out three over 2.2 scoreless innings. Mike Sillman worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up the save, his 17th of the season.

UP NEXT: The Swing and Timber Rattlers shift the series back to John O'Donnell Stadium on Monday night, as Quad Cities sends Phillip Andersen (1-1, 2.86) to the mound against Casey Abrams (3-5, 5.68). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00, and pregame coverage on Progressive Talk AM 1270 will begin at 6:45.

HOMESTAND PROMOTIONS: The Swing have a brief three-game homestand against Wisconsin from Monday through Wednesday. Tuesday's game will be Black and Gold Night featuring Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz as well as DARE Night at John O'Donnell Stadium. Wednesday's game will be a Hooters/97 Rock Beverage Night, John Deere Collector's Night featuring FIREWORKS, and Beach Party theme night with the Swing. Tickets are available by calling (563) 328-2000.

Check out the Quad Cities River Bandits Statistics



Midwest League Stories from June 26, 2005


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