Sweeney belts homer in return to Iowa
DES MOINES - Only the die-hard Iowa Cubs fans hung around for the latter parts of a home opener played in near-freezing temperatures Friday night, but Cedar Rapids native Ryan Sweeney still managed to greet the home-state crowd with a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth inning of a blowout loss to Albuquerque.
The shot over the right-center field wall off reliever Steve Smith was one of the few highlights during Iowa's 15-5 loss to the Isotopes. Playing his first game in his home state since his days at Xavier High School, Sweeney finished 1-for-4 in the Triple-A game.
"I don't think I've ever played in it this cold before, especially with the snow coming the last couple innings," said Sweeney, a 2003 Xavier graduate who was selected by the White Sox in the second round of that June's First-Year Player Draft. "That was definitely a first for me.
"It was freezing out there. I don't think anything can get you ready to play in 20-or 30-degree weather."
Another thing Sweeney can't quite get re-accustomed to is the not-so-plush minor league lifestyle. His team wrapped up Friday's game just after 10:30 p.m., marking the end of a marathon day.
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