Michigan BattleCats at Quad City RiverBandits
May 28th, 2002
| Michigan |
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0 |
2 |
2 |
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0 |
1 |
0 |
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0 |
0 |
0 |
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5 |
8 |
1 |
| Quad City |
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0 |
0 |
1 |
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1 |
0 |
0 |
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0 |
0 |
0 |
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2 |
7 |
0 |
E-Mote, LOB MIC-6, QC-5, 2B-Kubel, HR-Rodriguez (Richardson), Checksfield (Richardson), SB-Merchan, CS-Rodriguez, Checksfield, HBP-Mote, Stegall
HB-Richardson, Miller, WP-Richardson, PB-Obradovich, Jo.Mauer, SO-Rodriguez, Conrad 2, Obradovich 2, Hodges 2, Kuhaulua, BB-Mote, Obradovich, Rojas, Hodges, Jo.Mauer
T-2:22, A-775
U-Matt Kaylor, Art Stewart
Battle Creek Enquirer
Steve Checksfield and Mike Rodriguez slugged home runs to power the Michigan Battle Cats past the host Quad City River Bandits 5-2 Tuesday night in a Midwest League baseball game.
The Cats take over first place in the Eastern Divison with the win as Fort Wayne lost to Kane County. The Cats lead the Wizards by on half game and lead third place West Michigan by one game.
Checksfield had three hits and drove in four runs for the Cats in the opener of an eight game Iowa road trip.
Checksfield blasted a two run homer in the second inning to give the Cats a 2-0 lead. Trevor Mote walked to lead off the inning and scored on Checksfield's team high ninth homer of the season.
Rodriguez led off the third with ahomer, his second home run of the season, for a 3-0 lead. Todd Shelf laced a one out single and later scored on a two out single by Checksfield to make it 4-0.
Mote was hit by a pitch to lead off the fifth, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored as Checksfield ripped an RBI single with no outs to put the Cats on top 5-2.
Cats southpaw Russ Rohlicek (5-1) scattered four hits in seven innings to pick up the win. He allowed just two runs, one earned.
Scott Powell pitched the ninth for the Cats and notched his fifth save of the season.
Quad City Times
by Steve Batterson
Jason Richardson learned the hard way Tuesday night that there is more than one way to skin a Battle Cat.
The Quad City River Bandits starter didn't learn that lesson until it was too late, however losing for the first time this season as Quad City opened a four day homestand with a 5-2 Midwest League loss to Michigan.
Richardson, a 6 foot 3 right hander who earned four wins and posted an ERA of 0.87 over his past five starts, was hit hard early by the BattleCats.
Michigan scored a pair of runs in both the second and third innings using the long ball to take control of the game.
Steve Checksfield belted his ninth home run of the season, one behind the league leading total of Beloit's Brad Nelson, to drive in two runs in the second.
Mike Rodriguez then opened the third with a homer for the Battle Cats (29-22).
"Jason's been pretty good for us, but he didn't establish enough stuff inside to keep them off that ball away." Quad City manager Jeff Carter said, "He left a lot of balls out over the plate, and as an older team, they took advantage of that,"
Michigan collected seven of it's eight his before Richardson (4-1) exited after five innings including four third inning hits.
"We let them get too comfortable in the box," Carter said, "We never had them off balance."
Battle Cats starter Russ Rohlicek (5-1) rolled, scattering four hits while working the lower half of the strike zone in a seven inning outing.
"He did what he needed to do and we went for it," Carter said, "The thing I'm concerned about is that we're getting caught between pitches instead of dictating the at bat, and that has to change."
In the fourth, the first three batter for Quad City (24-23) reached, but a double play forced the Bandits to settle for one run.
Brett Tamburrino was released from a Fort Wayne, Indiana hospital. A hematoma, a tumor like mass produced by an accumulation of coagulated blood was discovered in Tamburrino's right leg following an injury that occurred during a slide attempt on a triple in Saturday's game with the Wizards.
He has been hospitalized since that time and while the River Bandits returned home Monday following the series, Quad City trainer Cory Andrews remained in Fort Wayne and drove Tamburrino back to the Quad city on Tuesday night.
River Bandits manager Jeff Carter said it is likely Tamburrino will miss additional time.
How They Scored
Michigan 2nd
Trevor Mote walked. Steve Checksfield homered to left center. Mark Obradovich struck out. Randy Rojas popped out to shortstop. Kerry Hodges walked. Ryan Stegall popped out to first.,br>
Michigan 3rd
Mike Rodriguez homered to center. Brooks Conrad flew to center. Todd Shelf singled to right. Mote grounded out to second, advancing Shelf to second. Checksfield singled to left, scoring Shelf. Obradovich singled to right, moving Checksfield to third. Rojas walked loading the bases. Hodges struck out.
Quad City 3rd
Jesus Merchan singled to right. Matt Abram flew out to center. Merchan stole second. Jake Mauer grounded out to short, advancing Merchan to third. James Tomlin reached on an infield single, scoring Merchan. Kaulana Kuhaulua grounded out to the mound.
Quad City 4th
Joe Mauer walked took second when Digno Torres reached on a fielding error by Mote at third. Michael Sandoval singled to right, loading the bases. Jason Kubel grounded into a double play, scoring Mauer and moving Torres to third. Merchan grounded out to third.
Michigan 5th
Mote was hit by a pitch, took second on a wild pitch, scored on a single to left by Checksfield. Checksfield was caught stealing. Obradovich struck out. Rojas grounded out to third.