Last night’s Box Score
Wausau, WI – July 3, 2009. Madison Mallards right-hander Alex Rivers (Santa Clara) will be called upon tonight to give the team a much-needed confidence booster as Friday marks the first game of the Northwoods League’s second half of the season. Madison will battle the Wisconsin Woodchucks in a 6:35 p.m. affair at Athletic Field.
Rivers will be seeking his first win of the season (0-1) after throwing 14 innings and allowing 7 runs (3 earned), good for a 1.93 ERA heading into tonight’s action. It will be a breath of fresh air to compete against a different team as he has only faced the South Division First Half Champion Eau Claire Express in his two starts on June 20th and 26th. His best outing came during that June 26th game against the Express during which he allowed only one earned run on four hits in six innings of work. He also struck out a season-high nine batters.
Meanwhile, the Woodchucks (0-0) will counter with right-hander Brandon Koenigstein, who is also winless (0-2) with a 2.97 ERA in 30.1 innings of work over five starts. He too recorded a no-decision in his last start on June 26 after allowing only one earned run in six innings.
Madison (0-0) is coming off an 8-3 loss to the Green Bay Bullfrogs last night at Joannes Stadium, while the Woodchucks were able to defeat the Express 3-0 at Athletic Field Thursday.
Harold Riggins (NC State) and Mark Ginther (Oklahoma State) remain tied for second in the league in home runs, as Rochester Honker Corey Jones slugged two more last night to extend his total to 10 on the year. Riggins also remains in second place in the RBI race with 28, just two behind Chris Lewis’ (Battle Creek) 30.
On the mound, Madison’s Cody Winiarski (MATC) is tied for second in wins (4) with a host of others and is seventh in the league in strikeouts (37). Teammate Matt Morgan (Purdue) has 39 strikeouts, good for sixth place.
The Mallards’ first half was highlighted by a seven game home winning streak to begin the season and the team also won 13 of its first 17 games overall. However, Madison finished with a 3-9 mark and 4 games behind the first place Express.
The team also set a new season franchise-record in home runs with 28, breaking the old mark of 24 set in 2003.
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Fans, the Mallards return home this Monday, July 6, for the first game of the second half at the “Duck Pond,” and they need your help to get the stadium rocking once again. The first 1,000 fans will receive a Verizon Wireless Mock Uniform T-Shirt and the chance to have your name affixed on the back during future games for a small price!
The team stays at home Tuesday, for another contest against the Battle Creek Bombers. It’ll be American Family Insurance Uniform Pillow Night (first 1,000 kids).
To purchase tickets for either of these dates, please click here or call the box office at 608.246.4277 today!
