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Quad Cities River Bandits

Swing pitchers dominate Double-A squad in Jupiter

March 21, 2007 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


The Swing of the Quad Cities did more than just defeat a Double-A team Tuesday at their spring training complex in Jupiter, Florida. The talented, prospect-laden Swing dominated the Midland RockHounds with youth in the 2-0 victory, holding their more experienced opponents to just two hits.

According to Baseball America's annual rankings, eight of the top 10 prospects in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization suited up for the Swing in 2006. Early indications strongly suggest that 2007 will see just as many future Redbirds pass through the Quad Cities on their way to St. Louis.

Star pitcher Blake King - a 19-year-old phenom ready to begin his second professional season after being drafted out of an Oklahoma high school in 2005 - led the way in dominating fashion, racking up six strikeouts over his three innings of work. The righthander burst onto the scene in 2006 when he registered 74 strikeouts, which was good for second-most in the Appalachian League. He also checked in seventh in the league with a 3.02 ERA.

King may have been the brightest star of the day for the Swing, but he was certainly not the only one. He combined with three other pitchers for the two-hit shutout, as the staff combined for 10 strikeouts while walking only one. Brandon Garner, an infielder in 2005 who became a pitcher last season, followed King with three strikeouts over two hitless innings.

The impressive pitching performance figures to foreshadow the season to come for the Swing, who will likely benefit from a series of strong drafts by the St. Louis Cardinals. Lefthander Brad Furnish (2nd round) and righties Gary Daley (3rd) and Eddie Degerman (4th) were all highly touted 2006 draft picks, and all three of them figure to be in the mix to break spring training as members of the Swing starting rotation.

Offensively, power-hitting first baseman Brandon Buckman paced the Swing with a 2-for-3 day at the plate on Tuesday. The Nebraska product is looking to follow up a strong 2006 season in which he hit an even .300 while finishing second on the team with eight home runs for the Johnson City Cardinals.

Infielder Donovan Solano went 2-for-4 with the team's only RBI, while speedster William Groff added a single, a run scored, and a pair of stolen bases over two at-bats.

The only two players to appear in the game that suited up for the Swing in 2006 were outfielder A.J. Van Slyke and catcher Henry Guerrero. Van Slyke, the son of former Cardinals' outfielder and three-time All-Star Andy Van Slyke, went 1-for-4 with a line drive single to right, while Guerrero worked a pair of walks in his only two plate appearances.

TICKETS: Tickets for all events at John O'Donnell Stadium can be purchased by calling the Swing of the Quad Cities ticket office at (563) 328-2000, coming to the box office located at the stadium along South Gaines Street, or by logging on to www.swingbaseball.com.

UP NEXT: Catch an early glimpse of the Swing on Wednesday, April 4, as JOD plays host to the annual Meet the Team dinner on the eve of the 2007 season opener The Swing will open their home schedule with a day game at John O'Donnell Stadium on Monday, April 9, against Cedar Rapids. After a successful campaign in 2006, manager Keith Mitchell will look to guide the Swing to a second consecutive post-season run.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS: The 2007 season will be loaded with fun at John O'Donnell Stadium, and each day of the week will feature its own exciting promotion:

Monday - Kids under the age of 12 will receive a hot dog and small soda with the purchase of a child's GA ticket!

Tuesday -Get four box seat tickets, four slices of pizza, four sodas, and a Swing program for just $44!

Wednesday - Join us for lunch as we bring back daytime baseball! $11 will get you a hot dog, soda, and box seat.

Thursday - Enjoy half-price 12 oz. beverages with Dave and Darren, thanks to the Bent River Brewing Company.

Friday - Every Friday night of the 2007 season will feature a dazzling fireworks display sponsored by KWQC.

Saturday - Be one of the first fans through the gates on select Saturdays and receive a special giveaway item.

Sunday - Bring the whole family out for an afternoon featuring clowns, balloons, and games. Stick around after the game and kids can run the bases just like the pros do!

Check out the Quad Cities River Bandits Statistics

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