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04/26/2007 11:47 PM ET
Bees Check Swing in Series Opener
By Randy Wehofer / Burlington Bees
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 Joe Dickerson separated his shoulder on Tuesday night in Cedar Rapids and may be lost for the year. He is the team's leading hitter and ranks 7th in the Midwest League wtih a .289 average. (John Gaines)
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Burlington, IA (April 26, 2007) - The Burlington Bees (10-8) got seven solid innings from Mario Santiago and clutch hits from Joe Dickerson and Chris McConnell to beat the Swing of the Quad Cities (9-11) 7-3 tonight at Community Field. The victory snaps the Bees' three-game losing streak and improves the team's record to 6-2 at home.
The Swing got on the board first with a run in the second inning. Santiago hit Luke Gorsett with a curve ball to start the inning and singles from Mark Shorey and Jaime Landin loaded the bases with nobody out. Donovan Solano hit a slow bouncer to shortstop and the Bees got a force out at second base as Gorsett scored. Santiago limited the damage to just one run by getting Daryl Jones to hit into an inning-ending double play. The Swing added to their lead in the third inning when Jim Rapoport doubled and scored on a base hit by Brandon Buckman. Santiago (1-1) got another double play ball to end the inning and didn't allow another baserunner until there were two outs in the seventh, retiring 12 in a row in the process.
The Bees got on the board against Swing starter Tyler Herron in the third. With one out, Scott Lucas singled and O.D. Gonzalez lined a ball into right-center field. It looked like just a base hit, until Jones fell down while chasing after it from center. The misstep allowed Lucas to come all the way around to score and Gonzalez ended up with a double and an RBI. In the fifth, the Bees had the bases loaded with two outs when Herron was pulled for Armando Carrasco out of the bullpen. On a 2-0 pitch, Dickerson ripped a base hit up the middle to bring in Lucas and Gonzalez and gave the Bees a 3-2 lead.
Brad Furnish came in to pitch in the sixth inning and his control problems helped the Bees extend the lead. With one out, Furner walked Jase Turner, Brady Everett, and Lucas to load the bases and then hit Gonzalez with an 0-2 pitch to force in one run. After a strikeout, McConnell came through with his hit off the glove of a diving Mark Shorey in left that brought in Everett and Lucas for a 6-2 lead. McConnell then took off for second before Furnish pitched the ball and the Swing pitcher threw behind him to first. Buckman's throw down to second went off the glove of shortstop Christian Lopez for an error that allowed McConnell to reach second and Gonzalez to trot home with the fourth run of the inning. Furnish would get out of the inning and work a scoreless seventh. Brian Schroeder gave up a leadoff double to Everett, his second double of the game, and a walk to Lucas, but didn't allow a run in the eighth. Everett, Lucas, and Gonzalez combined to reach base in 10 of 12 plate appearances at the bottom of the Bees' batting order on five hits, four walks, and a hit batsman tonight.
Matt Campbell finished the final two innings on the mound for the Bees and allowed the Swing's final run in the eighth. Jones led off with a double and scored on a base hit by Lopez. It was just the second run allowed by Campbell in 17.2IP on the year.
The Bees and Swing continue this series tomorrow night at 7:00 at Community Field. RH Harold Mozingo (2-1, 3.38) will start for the Bees against RH Mike Schellinger (0-2, 4.50) for the Swing. Gates open at 6:00 for a Fireworks Friday sponsored by J&M Displays, Budweiser, Hot 97 Dot 3, and Big Country 103.1. The game will also be broadcast live on KBUR AM 1490 and KBKB AM 1360 with the pre-game show starting at 6:40.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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