Kane County Cougars at Quad City River Bandits
April 20th, 2002
| Kane County |
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5 |
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| Quad City |
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E-Tucker, Rundgren, Arroyo, Asahina, Sandoval, LOB KC-5, QC-9, 2B-Zapey, Arroyo, Sandoval, SB-Stokes, Kuhaulua, Tamburrino 2, CS-Brewer, Kelly, Tomlin, HBP-Zapey, SACF-Stokes
HB-Gutierrez, WP-Asahina, Daws, BK-Asahina, SO-Brewer, Stokes, Kelly 2, Tucker, Zapey 2, Arroyo, Tomlin, Kuhaulua, Jo.Mauer, Agar, Abram, Ja.Mauer, BB-Hicks, Tucker, Kuhaulua, Jo.Mauer, Sandoval, Tamburrino, Ja.Mauer, Merchan
U-Rob Hansen, Scott Barry
T-2:31, A-415
Quad City Times
by Steve Batterson
Three years in the making who could blame Quad City River Bandits pitcher James Abbott for taking a few seconds to savor his first professional victory.
"This has been a long time coming" said Abbott, who has spent most of the past two years working his way through a long methodical rehabilitation following Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
Abbott got his reward Saturday, setting the tone early that helped Quad City craft a 5-2 Midwest League victory over Kane County.
"This feels great for a lot of reasons, mostly for the team though," Abbott said after the River Bandits (5-11) won back to back games for the first time this season.
A bases loaded walk to Michael Sandoval in the bottom of the fifth broke a 2-2 tie and allowed Abbott to taste victory.
The River Bandits sealed the deal an inning later, pushing runs across on the second of James Tomlin's three hits and on a fielder's choice by Kaulana Kuhaulua.
In his fourth start of the season, a number that equaled the previous number of t imes he had taken the mound during the first two years of his career, Abbott finished his six inning start Saturday with a mirror image of the way he began it.
He retired the Cougars in order in the first and sixth innings as part of a four hit, four strikeout performance. He did not walk a batter.
"This was kind of the next step for both me and the team," Abbott said, "I hope there are a lot more nights like this for all of us."
Hitting the inside and outside corners with his fastball early and mixing in a succesful slider later, the 6 foot 3 right hander continued a string of strong starts by the River Bandits.
"The first inning is always the key for me. it usually takes me awhile to zone in on the strike zone and a lot of times I'll give up a hit or two, and once that happends, I usually settle down," Abbott said, "Tonight things went well from the start."
Manager Jeff Carter said that Abbott left a couple of ball up, but did a decent hob of recovering against a Kane County team that managed five hits off a group of three River Bandits pitchers.
"I've seen Jim pitch better, but he made the pitches he needed to make. " Carter said, "He battled and that was good to see."
Notes
2 wins in a row in new for Quad City
Modest by any definition, the Quad City River Bandits finally have a win streak to call their own.
A 5-2 win over Kane County on Saturday provided Quad City with it's first back to back wins of the season, a relief in some respects.
"We've been waiting for awhile for this" said James Tomlin, who became just the second River Bandit this season to enjoy a three hit game after going 3 for 5.
"Getting two wins in a row gives us a boost. It's a sign that things are going in the right direction."
Manager Jeff Carter, whose team has won three of it's past four games to improve to 5-11 belives that is the case.
"Hopefully, it's a confidence builder", he said, "I think we're playing better baseball. I feel like the guys are working harder. We still have a few lapses, but we're getting there."
Carter liked the way his team seized opportunites Saturday scoring all five of their runs in the innings when the Cougars committed three of their four errors.
"When teams give you extra outs, you have to take advantage of it, and we did." Carter said, "That was something we weren't doing earlier."
He's seen E-nough
To err may be human, but Kane County manager Steve Phillips has seen enough errors from his 6-10 team.
"That's been the story of our season to this point." Phillips said. "We've been giving teams extra out after extra out, and you can't do that and expect to win."
The Cougars have committed six errors in back to back losses to Quad City, giving up four unearned runs in the first two games of the three game series.
How They Scored
Bandits 2nd
Michael Sandoval doubled to right, advanced to third when Matt Abram grounded out to shortstop. Brett Tamburrino walked. Joe Mauer singled to left, scoring Sandoval and moving Tamburrino to second. Tamburrino stole third, scored on a fielder's choice by Jesus Merchan. Mauer was forced out at second on the play and Merchan took second on a throwing error by William Arroyo at second. James Tomlin reached on an infield single, moving Merchan to third. Kaulana Kuhaulua flew out to right.
Cougars 0, Bandits 2
Cougars 4th
Hunter Wyant reached second on a fielding error by Sandoval at third, moved to third when Scott Hicks grounded out to first, scored on a sacrifice flyt to right by Jason Stokes. Heath Kelly flew out to center.
Cougars 1, Bandits 2
Cougars 5th
Michael Tucker grounded out to second. Winton Zapey doubled to left. Rex Rundgren grounded out to shortstop. Arroyo doubled to left center, scoring Zapey. Anthony Brewer grounded out to second.
Cougars 2, Bandits 2
Bandits 5th
Tomlin struck out. Kuhaulua walked, stole second. Joe Mauer walked. Cory Agar reached on a fielding error by Rundgren at shortstop, loading the bases. Sandoval walked, scoring Kuhaulua. Abram popped out. Tamburrino lined out to right.
Cougars 2, Bandits 3
Bandits 6th
Jake Mauer walked, took second on a wild pitch. Merchan walked, both advanced on an errant pickoff attempt by Jon Asahina. Tomlin singles to center, scoring Jake Mauer and moving Merchan to third. Tomlin forced out at second when Kuhaulua reached on a fielder's choice and Merchan scored. Kuhaulua took second on a balk. Joe Mauer struck out, Cory Agar struck out.
Cougars 2, Bandits 5