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Swisher has huge Saturday

Nick Swisher had his most productive game of the season on Saturday night, collecting four hits -including three doubles -as well as scoring three runs and driving in two others.

Swisher and his new Cleveland Indians teammates unloaded on the lowly Houston Astros, scoring eight times in the top of the first inning and six in the second. The Tribe held a 14-0 lead after just an inning-and-a-half. If only the Browns could score 14 that quickly.

Cleveland had 19 runs after five at-bats and while the Tribe had plenty of chances to score the 20th run, it didn’t happen, as Cleveland wound up with a 19-6 victory.

It was the third four-hit game of Swisher’s major league career, matching a 2006 performance at Tampa and a 2010 effort at Seattle. All three of his four-hit games have taken place on the road. The three doubles was a first for Swisher, who already has become a crowd favorite in Cleveland.

  • Second In Nation: Swisher obviously is the most high-profile athlete with Parkersburg ties, but he isn’t the only one that performs on the national stage.

On Saturday, Parkersburg South graduate Ryan Patterson and his McKendree College bowling teammates participated in the NCAA finals, where they fell to Robert Morris in the championship match.

Patterson, who was a captain of the Patriot basketball team a year ago, obviously made a great choice by signing with McKendree, where he will have three more years to chase that elusive national title.

  • Thanks For The Memory: Bob Hope’s theme song seems like an appropriate way to recognize Kimberly Griffey and Kristen Minnite, who put in countless hours resurrecting the Parkersburg High School Sports Carnival.

We’ve allowed too many long-time traditions to fade from our lives and it seems once they are gone, they generally are gone forever.

Griffey and Minnite put in a huge amount of time and effort to bring back one of our community’s traditions.

They are to be congratulated for their efforts, which I know many appreciate.

  • A Classy Gesture: On Saturday, the Vienna River Road Run attracted a strong turnout of local runners and walkers despite being conducted on a frosty morning when it would have been easier simply to stay under the covers.

Those who participated in the race were asked to place their hand over their heart as they crossed the finish line in memory of what took place at the Boston Marathon on Monday.

Also, on Sunday, the London Marathon conducted 30 seconds of silence in memory of Boston.

Runners worldwide share a common bond, as this week’s events illustrate.

  • No Offense: Through the first19 games of the Major League Baseball season, the Miami Marlins have scored 37 runs, less than two per game. Ouch!

Contact Dave Poe at dpoe@newsandsentinel.com

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