AJ Shappi Selected to All Stars in MWL

2005 MWL All-Stars Headlined by Patterson, Gallagher

Home team has six selected for June 21 game



PEORIA, IL— Six Peoria Chiefs players will take the field in front of the home crowd at the 2005 Midwest League All-Star Game Presented by Pepsi on Tuesday June 21 at 7:00 PM. Second baseman Eric Patterson, first baseman Alberto Garcia and outfielder Ryan Harvey will start the game while pitchers Sean Gallagher, Matt Weber, and Chris Shaver were also selected.

On the Western Division squad, only first place Wisconsin and Clinton have more players with seven each. Other starters for the West include C Brady Toops (QC), SS Matt Shepherd (QC), 3B Myron Leslie (KC), OF Deacon Burns (BEL), OF Javier Herrera (KC) and DH Raul Padron (KC). The starting pitcher will be determined by the West manager.

The Eastern Division squad is led by 11 South Bend Silver Hawks. South Bend heads into play on Tuesday in first place in the East and they landed three starters, four reserves and four relievers. The East starters are: C Colt Morton (FTW), 1B Tonys Gutierrez (DAY), 2B Emilio Bonafacio (SB), SS Reid Brignac (SWM), 3B Agustin Murillo (SB), OF Aaron Peel (CR), OF Carlos Gonzales (SD), OF Francisco Leandro (SWM), and DH Wilkin Ramirez (WM). Cedar Rapids is part of the East in order to balance out the teams.

Each team consists of 36 players who will be active for the game. In addition, 13 players were selected to the team but have since been either promoted or placed on the disabled list including Chip Cannon of Lansing who leads the league with 11 homers.

Agustin Murillo of South Bend is the highest HR hitter in the game with 10 heading into June 7th action. The third baseman is batting .333 and is among the MWL leaders in hits, doubles, RBI, slugging and extra-base hits. His Silver Hawks teammate Carlos Gonzalez leads the MWL with 40.

On the pitching side Gallagher (6-1, 1.17) is joined on the West staff by Ace Walker of Clinton (3-4, 2.69), Kevin Ool of Quad Cities (9-1, 1.83) Anthony Swarzak of Beloit (6-3, 2.90) and Luis Cota of Burlington (2-3, 2.04). The East staff is led by Michael Ekstron of Fort Wayne (8-1, 2.31), Jair Jurrjens of West Michigan (5-2, 2.59), Brad Morenko of Dayton (5-1, 2.29) and A.J. Shappi of South Bend (9-1, 2.74) The 2005 MWL All-Star Game Presented by Pepsi begins at 7:00 PM Tuesday June 21st. Gates at O’Brien Field will open at 5:00 PM with a Home Run Hitting Contest at 6:00 PM. The participants in the Home Run Hitting Contest will be announced at a later date as seven players from the game will be chosen to participate with Chiefs OF Ryan Harvey. The Famous Chicken will entertain fans before and during the game and Central States Fireworks will put on a special Fireworks display following the game. This is the second MWL All-Star Game in Peoria history and the third in Chiefs history. Woodruff Field hosted the 1954 Three-I-League All-Star Game and Pete Vonachen Stadium was the site for the 1992 ! MWL All-Star Game.





Six Chiefs on West Roster



Patterson leads the MWL in batting at .368 heading into Tuesday’s series finale against Lansing. The left-handed hitting second baseman is also among the top five in the league in slugging and on-base percentage. His brother, Corey, was a MWL All-Star starter for Lansing in 1999 and now mans centerfield for the Chicago Cubs.

Gallagher (6-1) has been one of the biggest stories in the Midwest League and Minor League Baseball in 2005. The 19-year old righthander didn’t allow an earned run for a franchise record 40 2/3 innings to start the season. He currently leads the MWL in ERA (1.17) and strikeouts (75) and is among the leaders in all of MILB in both categories. Gallagher started a no-hitter and a one-hitter this season for Peoria and the Chiefs are 11-1 in his 12 starts.

Harvey was the Cubs 1st round pick in 2003 out of Dunedin (FL) High School and set or tied three Chiefs records on April 18th at O’Brien Field when he clubbed three homers and drove in seven. The rightfielder is batting .260 with 7 homers and a team high 29 RBI heading into Tuesday’s game.

Garcia will start at first base for the West and heads into Tuesday’s game with a .319 batting average, one homer and 24 RBI. The Dominican Republic native has eight doubles and has scored 16 runs for Peoria.

Weber heads into his next start with a 3-7 record and a 3.13 ERA in 12 starts. The Chiefs opening day hurler has been plagued by a lack of run support in 2005 and has tossed at least five innings in 11 starts. Weber set a Chiefs franchise record after not allowing a walk in 38 2/3 consecutive innings and he has walked only 7 on the year while striking out 44.

Shaver, the lone lefty on the Chiefs starting staff, is 2-5 with a 3.63 ERA after his first 11 starts. He is third on the Chiefs staff with 48 strikeouts in 57 innings. The Hamden-Sydney native was drafted in the 4th round in 2004 out of William & Mary.