Rascals Report: Winning Week Extends Division Lead for River City

As the first half of the 2011 season near a close, the River City Rascals remain hot. Playing nearly .700 baseball, the Rascals are sitting on top of the West Division standings in the Frontier League. 

Looking Back

The Rascals are nearing the All-Star break sporting a 32-14 record. River City has won seven of it's last 10, including picking up four wins in six games last week.

• Sunday, July 3: Won 3-1 against the Lake Erie Crushers 
• Monday, July 4: Won 1-0 against the Lake Erie Crushers 
• Tuesday, July 5: 8-0 loss to the Washington Wild Thing
• Wednesday, July 6: Won 7-5 against the Washington Wild Things
• Thursday, July 7: Game canceled against the Washington Wild Things
• Friday, July 8: 11-9 loss against the Lake Erie Crushers
• Saturday, July 9: Won 5-1 against the Lake Erie Crushers

Looking Ahead

For many Rascals, the upcoming week will be short. Starting on Monday and running until Thursday, the Frontier League will be in the middle the All-Star break. Several Rascals, however will be making the trip to Lake Erie for the All-Star game. Manager Steve Brook will be joined by starting catcher Danny Sawyer, starting outfielder Stephen Holdren, starting infielder Chris McClendeon and pitchers Zach Sterner, Derrick Miramontes, and Kirkland Rivers. First baseman Joash Brodin and right-handed pitcher Brandon Cunniff round out the Rascals All-Star representatives. 

• Sunday, July 10: Rascals vs. Lake Erie Crushers (5:05 p.m. at T.R. Hughes)
• Monday, July 11: Off for All-Star Break
• Tuesday, July 12: All-Star Home Run Derby (7:30 p.m. at Lake Erie)
• Wednesday, July 13: All-Star Game (7:05 p.m. at Lake Erie)
• Thursday, July 14: Off for All-Star Break
• Friday, July 15: Rascals at Southern Illinois Miners (7:05 p.m. at Rent One Park)
• Saturday, July 16: Rascals at Southern Illinois Miners (4:05 p.m. at Rent One Park)

Who’s Hot

The Rascals' bats remain hot. River City has six hitters hitting at least .270 in the last week with four hitters passing the .300 mark. On the mound, the River City bullpen remains steller. 

• First baseman Joash Brodin is hitting 9-for-25 (.360) with four doubles in the last week.  
• Infielder Bobby Burk is 8-for-21 (.381) in the last week.
• A quartetet of All-Star relievers, Brandon Cunniff, Dustin Umberger, Kirkland Rivershave combined to go 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in their last 12 innings pitched. The group has 12 strikeouts—led by Miramontes six in his 4.1 innings of work. 

Who’s Not

Very few Rascals are scuffling right now, but there are a few who are trying to get things going. 

• All-Star catcher Danny Sawyer is just 2-for-17 in his last five games.
• Pitcher Erick Carillo gave up three runs in 1.2 innings of work. For the season, Carillo has given up eight runs in seven innings of work. 
• All-Star Zach Sterner had a rare in his last start. He gave up five runs in five innings of work in an 8-0 loss to Washington.

Standings

as of Sunday, July 10, at 12 p.m.