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MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Swing return to postseason

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


Despite a sluggish close to the regular season, the Swing of the Quad Cities are bringing Midwest League playoff baseball to the Quad Cities for the first time since 2002. Although the Swing were defeated, 4-1, by the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays on Sunday afternoon, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' 3-2 victory over the Beloit Snappers on Sunday means that the Swing cannot be overtaken for one of the top two second-half seeds.

With one game to play, the Swing (36-33, 72-66) have lost five of their last six games but maintain a one-game lead over the Beloit Snappers. The Swing and Snappers split their 12 meetings this season, but Quad Cities owns the tiebreaker because they outscored Beloit, 49-41, in the teams' contests.

The Swing's run to the Midwest League championship will begin Wednesday night, September 7, at 7:00 at John O'Donnell Stadium. Tickets are available at www.swingbaseball.com, and phone or box office purchases can be made beginning Tuesday morning at 9:00. The Swing offices will be closed for the Labor Day holiday on Monday. Quad Cities will play either top-seeded Wisconsin or first-half wild card Clinton in the best-of-three first round, although the opponent will not be determined until the end of regular-season play on Monday.

On Sunday at C.O. Brown Stadium, the Swing took their first lead of the series in the top half of the second inning, manufacturing a single run. Mike Ferris lined a double into right-center, and then Juan Lucena bunted him to third. Chris Patrick bounced out to short to score Ferris for the game's first run.

The Devil Rays struck back to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Fernando Perez drew a four-pitch walk to open the inning, and then Reid Brignac drove him home with a double to left-center. A bounceout from Patrick Breen moved Brignanc to third, and he scored on on Chris Nowak's sacrifice fly.

The Swing had opportunities over the middle and late part of the game, but could not push across another run. Quad Cities used an error and a walk to place men at the corners with nobody out in the fifth inning, but Jino Gonzalez struck out Cody Palmer, Matt Lemanczyk and Sean Danielson to end that threat. Matt Shepherd drew a one-out walk in the seventh inning, but the Rays turned a double play on a Casey Rowlett bouncer to end that threat. The Swing again put men at the corners, this time with one out, in the eighth inning. But Nick Stavinoha's popup to left was too shallow to score Palmer from third, and Mike Ferris grounded sharply to second for the final out of the inning.

The Devil Rays put the game out of reach in the top of the eighth inning. Perez drew a walk and stole second base, then moved to third on a flyout. After an intentional walk, a wild pitch and a two-out single score Perez and then Patrickl Breen for a 4-1 Rays advantage.

The Swing again landed a pair of two-out baserunners in the top of the ninth, but Palmer popped to center to end the contest.

Swing starter Nick Webber allowed only two runs on five hits in seven innings as he picked up the loss. On Tuesday, he was outdueled, 1-0, by the Kernels' Fernando Rodriguez, while Southwest Michigan's Jino Gonzalez struck out a season-best seven in six innings to pick up the win on Sunday afternoon. In Webber's five starts, the Swing have averaged just 2.40 runs of support.

UP NEXT: The Swing continue their quest for the playoffs with the final regular season game against the D-Rays on Monday afternoon. The Swing send Matt Scherer (9-8, 3.98) to the hill against Eddie de la Cruz First pitch is scheduled for 1:05, and pregame coverage on Progressive Talk AM 1270 will begin at 12:50.

NEXT HOME GAME: The Swing begin their run to the 2005 Midwest League championship on Wednesday, September 7, at 7:00 p.m. Playoff tickets and 2006 season-ticket packages are available by calling the Swing at (563) 328-2000.

PROMOTION: The Swing will honor participants in the United Way's Day of Caring at their first playoff game, Wednesday, September 7. In addition, it will be a 97 Rock Beverage Night, with discounted drinks available from when the gates open at 6:00 until 8:30.

Check out the Quad Cities River Bandits Statistics



Midwest League Stories from September 4, 2005


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