Swing reach high-water mark

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By staff report | Thursday, May 10, 2007 12:10 AM CDT | () comments

LANSING, Mich. — The middle of the batting order continued to push the Swing of the Quad-Cities toward the top of the Midwest League’s Western Division on Wednesday.

The Swing’s Nos. 3 through 6 hitters collected all eight of their hits as they rolled to a 6-2 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts at Oldsmobile Park, improving to a season-best five games over .500.

Mark Shorey went 3-for-3, and Chris Grossman drove in three runs for the Swing (19-14), who have won nine of their past 12 games. Lansing (16-13) has lost seven of its past eight games, including the first two games of the four-game set.

The Swing took an early lead with a three-run first inning. With two outs and the bases empty, the Lugnuts elected to pitch around hot-hitting Brandon Buckman. He walked, and Shorey, Grossman and Christian Reyes followed with doubles. Two runs scored on Grossman’s hit, and the Swing led 3-0.

They added another run in the third when Grossman bounced into a double play, and Grossman singled in Buckman with another run in the fifth to make it 5-1. The final run scored later in that inning came when Daryl Jones walked with the bases loaded.

Tyler Herron (1-4) earned the victory, striking out five without issuing a walk while allowing one run on two hits in 32/3 innings. He retired the first 10 batters he faced after entering the game in the sixth but allowed consecutive one-out doubles in the ninth that led to the Lugnuts’ second run.

Report

Burlington 6, Clinton 4

CLINTON, Iowa — A three-run fifth inning wasn’t enough for Clinton on Wednesday as the LumberKings dropped a 6-4 decision to the Burlington Bees at Alliant Energy Field.

Buoyed by a three-run home run by Michael Thompson, the Bees broke open a close game with four runs in the top of the fifth. Relief pitcher Ryan DiPietro came on to pitch four innings, giving up three earned runs and striking out six to earn the victory.

LumberKings starter Mike Ballard allowed all six runs on 11 hits, including the homer to Thompson and a solo shot to Matt Morizio.

Ballard struck out a career-high 14 batters in eight innings.

John Whittleman went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. It was his fifth home run of the season.

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