Batavia (25-27) kept things going in the right direction to start off their six game homestand by taking down Vermont (24-27) 10-3.
The Lake Monsters struck first, scoring one run in the 2nd on a solo homerun. But the Muckdogs scored one of their own in the 5th and followed with three runs each in the 6th and 7th to put the game away.
In the 5th, Jon Edwards singled and came home later to score when Luis De La Cruz reached on an error. They broke things open on base hits in the 6th. Michael Swinson, Ryan Jackson and Alan Ahmady all singled and Matthew Adams followed with a double to score three in the inning. Then again in the 7th, De La Cruz reached again on another error before Ivan Castro and Swinson had back-to-back doubles. Swinson was able to come in on a passed ball.
Vermont was able to score two runs in the 7th, but it was too late. As if a 7-3 lead wasn’t enough, Batavia added another three runs in the 8th. Edwards singled and De La Cruz and Castro both walked to load the bases. Jackson then also was delivered a walk to score Edwards. With bases still loaded, Ahmady picked up two RBI with a base hit.
Justin Smith had the start, going five innings with one run, two hits, one walk and five strikeouts. Chris Corrigan (1-2, 3.34) followed him to get the win. Corrigan went one and two-thirds innings with two runs on two hits, two walks and one strikeout. Santo Maertz got his second hold pitching one and one-third innings with a walk and a strikeout. Andres Rosales finished out the game in the 9th with just one hit.
Swinson finished 2-for-4 on the night with a double, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. Ahmady went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Adams stayed hot as a Muckdog, going 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI.
*Also to note: Guillermo Toribio returned to Quad Cities last week where he played 32 games to start the 2009 season. Also, pitcher Scott Schneider made the move up. Schneider had a .092 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 39.1 innings in his first professional year with the Muckdogs.
Xavier Scruggs and Kyle Conley both earned Player of the Week honors in their leagues. Scruggs is batting .556 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 4 homeruns and 16 RBI and a remarkable 1.185 slugging percentage in his first week as a River Bandit. Conley is batting .458 with 7 runs, 2 doubles, 3 homeruns and 4 RBI with a 1.000 slugging percentage as a Muckdog.
