ANOTHER SHUTOUT BY DUFFY; White, Boo

DUFFY SHUTS DOWN QUAD CITIES


DANNY DUFFY put up his third straight shutout Monday night in the Midwest League.


Shut out, it was nearly armed robbery.


In five innings the Lompoc lefthander so handcuffed the Quad Cities River Bandits that he allowed only three balls to reach the outfield. He gave up just two hits, both singles, struck out seven and walked one. He was, in short, dominating.


The Bandits got only one runner to third base against him. That came in the second inning when Duffy found himself in his only jam by plunking the leadoff hitter, then giving up a single and a walk to find himself in a no-out bases-loaded situation.


No matter, he ripped off two strikeouts and retired the side on a fly ball.


In the first Duffy got all three Bandits in short order on a two pop-ups and a groundout. In the third it was back to cruise control—two strikeouts sandwiched around a popup—and in the fourth again the Bandits could not get the ball to the outfield. They mustered only a strikeout, a ground ball to shortstop, and a ground ball back to Duffy.


In the fifth QC got its second hit, and third ball to reach the outfield, on a two-out single to center. Again, no matter, Duffy ended the inning with another strikeout.


The zero earned run total was Duffy’s third outing in a row in which he did not permit an earned run and fifth in his last six appearances. His earned run average now stands at 2.20 and his ERA over his last ten outings an otherworldly 1.09. He has allowed 56 hits in 81 innings for the season and has fanned 102 while walking just 25. And in those last ten outings he has had 59 K’s and only 16 walks.


Back home in Vandenberg Village Duffy’s parents were on pins and needles because Duffy’s Burlington club could manage only one run in their son’s support. Duffy departed leading 1-0 but reliever Zach Peterson maintained the shutout to give Duffy his eighth victory.


“That was a nervous second inning but I was proud of him the way he hung tough,” said Deanna Duffy who listened to the game over the internet. “He’s just a bulldog. Actually I just talked to him. He was pleased.”


Also observing, from the stands in Davenport, Iowa were five of Duffy’s friends from Cabrillo--BRIAN GREGORY, JACOB RAMSEY, ALEX BELL, DAVID FUNDINGSLAND and ALEXA HETER. The quintet was present also for Duffy’s previous appearance, four innings against Clinton.


Duffy’s 2.20 ERA would rank fifth among MWL starting pitchers if he had sufficient innings to qualify for the league title. Two of the four hurlers with better records have been promoted and are no longer in the league.


Duffy was a third-round draft choice of the Kansas City Royals in 2007. The River Bandits are affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals.


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WHITE STREAK ENDS


CHRIS WHITE’s five-game batting streak ended Monday night as he could not post a base hit in four trips to the plate in South Bend, Indiana.


White popped up, grounded out, flied out and struck out to end the Midwest League game as
his batting average slipped to .320.


White played center field for the West Michigan Whitecaps, a Detroit Tiger affiliate. The South Bend Silver Hawks, managed by ex-Lompocan MARK HALEY, are an Arizona Diamondback farm team.


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BOO INTERVIEW


If you’re following the BOO JACKSON saga you’ll be interested in the interview posted on BobcatAttack.com. Boo comments on a wide range of subjects for the Ohio University fan website at http://www.bobcatattack.com/football/story.asp?PID=566