Madison, WI – June 27, 2008. Gabriel Shaw (Louisville) pitched seven stellar shutout innings, allowing just two base hits to lead the Madison Mallards past the Brainerd Blue Thunder 2-0. The Mallards have now won six straight games on three straight series sweeps and improve to 18-9 on the season. It was the Mallards second shutout of the season, with both coming in the last four games. Drew Martin (NC State) accounted for two of the Mallards three hits in the game, the second of which drove in the second run in the bottom of the seventh and gave the bullpen an extra insurance run. With the win the Mallards move into sole possession of second place in the South Division as both Wisconsin and La Crosse lost tonight. They are now just one game back of Wisconsin with six games to go in the first half.
Shaw’s fourth start of the season proved to be his most effective, earning him his first win in a season-high seven frames. The two base hits he allowed both came with two outs in the inning, and both were stranded on base. He retired the Blue Thunder in order in three of the innings, and got out of the inning after facing just four batters two other times. He struck out four batters in the game.
Scott Foley made his first start of the season for the Blue Thunder and was nearly as effective, giving up just a pair of base hits and one unearned run in four-and-two-thirds innings. Michael Gedman relieved Foley and allowed just Martin’s seventh-inning single for his only earned run and hit in the final three-and-a-third.
The Mallards broke a scoreless tie in the fourth, when Rob Lyerly (Charlotte) reached on an error with one out. He stole second base and advanced to third on a groundout to the pitcher by Phil Gosselin (Virginia). Luke Stewart (UAB) followed with a groundout to second that was mishandled by Greg Garcia, allowing Lyerly to score to put the Mallards on top 1-0.
Shaw continued to roll through the Blue Thunder lineup in the middle innings and kept the slim 1-0 Mallards lead still intact. The Mallards had baserunners again in the fifth, but could not add any more runs. Josh Groves (UW-Milwaukee) struck out to start the seventh and Eric Nielsen (Purdue) followed with a walk. Don Lambert (Baylor) grounded out to first, moving Nielsen to second before he was driven in by Martin’s single to right-center.
With a 2-0 lead Nathan Kafka (Minnesota State) relieved Shaw in the eighth and retired the Blue Thunder on just three pitches. Reed Woytek (Baylor) took the ball in the ninth and allowed back-to-back singles, before settling down and getting three straight outs to earn his second save.
The Mallards are right back at it at the “Duck Pond” tomorrow night, when the Green Bay Bullfrogs come to town for a 5:05 p.m. game. It will be Meriter & Physicians Plus Insurance Kick Ball Night with Mallards kick balls being given to the first 1,000 kids 14 & under. Also, all kids will be able to participate in a kick ball game on the field after the game! There will also be a Diamond Dig, sponsored by TQ Diamonds. The first 1,000 ladies will have a chance to come on the field after the game and dig in the infield for a buried diamond! The new version of the movie “Bad News Bears” will be shown in the outfield after the game.
Seats are still available for the series against Green Bay. Tickets can be purchased online at mallardsbaseball.com or by calling 608.246.4277.
