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MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Swing hold on to late lead

August 4, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


Meacham picks up first pro win; Sillman closes door on nail biter

The Swing of the Quad Cities played another thriller with the Clinton LumberKings Thursday night, taking a late two run lead and cutting short a ninth-inning rally to preserve a 6-5 win at John O'Donnell Stadium. Reliever Cory Meacham picked up his first professional win with a strong effort, and Mike Sillman tip-toed out of trouble to earn his first save since June 26.

With the victory Quad Cities (24-17, 60-50) ends a three-game skid, remaining atop the Midwest League's Western Division and taking a share of the league's top record. Clinton (19-22, 57-54) loses for only the second time through seven games at John O'Donnell Stadium.

With a 6-4 lead in the ninth inning, Sillman made his first appearance in a closer's role since losing the job in late June. After striking out the leadoff hitter, he walked two consecutive batters before loading the bases with a hit batsman. When Andrew Wishy grounded to short the Swing traded the run for the out, maintaining a one-run lead with two outs and men on second and third base. But with the game on the line Sillman induced a critical pop-out from Clinton leadoff hitter Tug Hulett, securing his 18th save of the season and his first in over a month.

Swing reliever Cory Meacham (1-0) picked up his first professional victory in the outing, tossing a perfect 2.1 innings. The Cardinals' 35th round pick in June's draft recorded five of his seven outs on the ground, and has now yielded an earned run in only one of his eight appearances on the season.

After two losses to open the series, the Swing came out of the gates with determination Thursday night. With one out in the first inning Matt Shepherd and Jake Mullinax hit back-to-back singles, and Shepherd came home when Nick Stavinoha drove a double into the right-center field gap. After an Eric Verbryke sacrifice fly scored the second run of the frame, Chris Patrick slapped the first pitch he saw for an RBI double of his own. The scoring in the first was capped with two outs, when Mike Ferris' routine groundball to the right side skipped through the legs of Clinton second-baseman Hulett, allowing Patrick to trot home and give the Swing a 4-0 lead.

Clinton cut the lead in half in the fourth inning. After issuing a one-out walk to Brandon Boggs, Swing starter Phillip Andersen served up a two-run blast to Emerson Frostad that slimmed the lead to 4-2. The longball was the eighth yielded by Andersen on the season and the 12th hit this year by Frostad, whose 10th inning home run in Wednesday night's ballgame was the decisive blow.

In the top of the sixth, the LumberKings went back to work. Boggs reached base on an error by Juan Lucena, and moved to third on a double by Frostad. When Andersen tried to pick off the runner at second his errant throw sailed into center, allowing the runners to advance one base each. One batter later Jim Fasano sent a sacrifice fly into right, and the game was deadlocked at four runs apiece midway through the sixth.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Swing benefited from a rash of wild pitching courtesy of LumberKings reliever Josh Giles. With one on and one out, Giles issued four consecutive walks to Swing batters - the last two forcing in runs - before being pulled from the contest down 6-4.

For Clinton it was Giles (0-2) suffering the loss, as he issued four free passes in only .1 innings.

Andersen started for the Swing, striking out seven in 5.2 innings of work while allowing four runs - two earned. He exited the ballgame with a 4-4 score in the sixth, after yielding two unearned runs in a frame that saw the Swing commit two errors.

UP NEXT: The Swing and LumberKings finish the series on Friday night, as Quad Cities sends Michael Cooper (0-0, 4.03) to the mound against Eric Hurley (10-4, 3.81). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00, and pregame coverage on Progressive Talk AM 1270 will begin at 6:45.

UPCOMING PROMOTION: Bob the Builder will be on hand, with post-game Fireworks! courtesy of KWQC/WQPT/Star 93.5. Tickets are available for all Swing games by calling (563) 328-2000.

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Midwest League Stories from August 4, 2005


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