Michigan BattleCats at Quad City River Bandits
May 29th, 2002
| Michigan |
|
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
6 |
1 |
| Quad City |
|
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
3 |
7 |
0 |
E-Stegall, LOB MIC-11, QC-9, 2B-Jo.Mauer, HR-Checksfield (Gutierrez), Stegall (Gutierrez), SB-Checksfield, HBP-Conrad, SACB-Jones
HB-Miller, WP-Doyne 3, SO-Conrad, Shelf 2, Checksfield, Obradovich 3, Rojas, Likely, Stegall, Tomlin, Kuhaulua, Jones, BB-Rodriguez, Obradovich 2, Rojas 3, Likeley, Stegall, Lydic, Sandoval 2, Kubel, Merchan, Quickstad
T-2:49, A-1,204
Battle Creek Enquirer
Ryan Stegall launched a two run homer in the eighth inning and Steve Checksfield added a solo homer in the ninth to rally the Michigan Battle Cats past the host Quad City River Bandits 5-3 Wednesday night in a Midwest League baseball game.
Reliever D.J. Houlton (7-0) picked up the win to keep the Cats atop the Eastern Divison standings.
The Cats scored first taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Brooks Conrad was hit by a pitch with one out, moved to third on a hit and run single by Todd Shelf and scored on a fielder's choice.
The Cats pushed across a run in the seventh as Joe Lydic led off with a broken bat single and Mike Rodriguez followed with a walk. After a strike out and a fielder's choice put runners on first and third, Checksfield got an RBI infield single.
The Cats took a 4-3 lead in the eighth off reliever Jannio Gutierrez, Randy Rojas got a lead off walk and scored on Stegall's one out homer.
The Bandits loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth but the Cats got a double play to end the threat and preserve theri 4-3 lead.
Checksfield slugged a solo homer, his 1th homerun of the season with two outs in the ninth for a 5-3 lead.
Cats starter Cory Doyne went six innings, allowing five hits and three runs, walking three, striking out two and throwing two wild pitches.
Max Tremblay finished the game for his fourth save.
Quad City Times
by Steve Batterson
Michigan's Steve Checksfield start his season a little slow.
You wouldn't know it bases on his two day outburst against the Quad City River Bandits.
Checksfield added to a 3 for 4 effort Tuesday with two more hits in five plate appearances Wednesday to lead the Battle Cats past the River Bandits 5-3 at John O'Donnell Stadium.
The loss was the Bandits fourth straight and leaves them in a two way tie for third in the Western Division of the Midwest League.,br>
Checksfield hit his 10th home run of the year, a solo shot to straightaway center off Jannio Gutierrez, to extended the Michigan lead int he ninth to 5-3.
"I've been feeling comfortable at the plate lately," Checksfield said, "I struggled early in the year. I've been taking pitches and laying off some breaking balls, and I'm starting to get those hitting counts. Right now, I'm going with what they give me."
The biggest blast of the night was delievered by the Battle Cats' Ryan Stegall.
Stegall sabotaged a 3-2 Quad City lead and made up for an earlier error when he drove a Gutierrez offering in the eighth inning over the left field fence for a two run home run. His hit scored Randy Rojas, who had reached on a leadoff walk.
Checksfield has smacked two homers and collected seven RBIs the past two games against Quad City.
Bandits starer Jason Miller left after the fifth inning with a high pitch count and a 2-1 lead. Miller looked strong, striking out six and getting out of a bases loaded jam in the fourth without surrendering a run.
The Quad City staff ran into trouble, issuing free passes to nine Battle Cats. One of those walks, to Rojas, zapped any steam the Bandits had built.
"Leadoff walks kill. They hurt ya," Quad City manager Jeff Carter said.
The Bandits got the lead in the fourth when Joe Mauer sprayed a double into the left field corner and eventually scored on a Michael Sandoval groundout. Digno Torres reached on a fielder's choice out and came around on Jesus Merchan's grounder that jetted between the legs of Stegall at third.
Quad City left the bases loaded in the sixth and finished with back to back, inning ending double plays in the eighth and ninth stanzas.
"We look for someone to get a big hit," Carter said, "You're gotta want to hit in those situations. They get up there and they're scared. The pitcher's got to be the one to feel he's in trouble."
How They Scored
Michigan 1st
Mike Rodriguez grounded out, Brooks Conrad was hit by a pitch. Todd Shelf singled and Conrad went to third. Steve Checksfield popped out, scoring Conrad on a fielder's choice down the first base line. Mark Obradovich walked. Randy Rojas grounded out to short to end the inning.
Quad City 4th
Joe Mauer doubled, Digno Torres reached on a fielder's choice with Mauer taking third. Michael Sandoval drove in Mauer with a fielder's choice. Jason Kubel singled. Garrett Jones popped out to right. Torres scored on a Jesus Merchan grounder that went for an error. Barry Quickstad grounded out to shortstop.
Quad City 6th
Torres lined out to shortstop. Sandoval walked and moved to second on a passed ball. kUbel popped out to shortstop. Jones singled up the middle to score Sandoval. Merchan singled, Jones and Merchan advanced on a passed ball. Quckstad walked. Tomlin grounded out to end the inning.
Michigan 7th
Joe Lydic singled, Rodriguez walked. Conrad struck out. Shelf reached on a fielder's choice. Checksfield singled in Lydic. Obradovich struck out to end the inning.
Michigan 8th
Rojas walked. Cameron Likely struck out. Ryan Stegall two run homer run to score Rojas. Lydic flew out to center. Rodriguez popped out to catcher.
Michigan 9th
Conrad popped out to rightfield. Shelf lined out. Checksfield hit a solo home run. Obradovich walked. Rojas walked. Likely grounded out.