19
Jun
2017
WINNING TWO OUT OF THREE OVER THE WEEKEND JUST NOT QUITE ENOUGH
Bandits finish one game out of Wild Card in first half of Midwest League season
BELOIT, Wisc. - The Quad Cities River Bandits got a come-from-behind 5-3 win over the Beloit Snappers in the final game of the 2017 first half Sunday afternoon at Pohlman Field. With a win by Cedar Rapids, the win is not enough for the River Bandits, who finish one game out of the first-half Wild Card for the Western Division of the Midwest League. Yordan Alvarez hit his team-leading ninth home run of the season in the win.
Quad Cities (37-31) takes the series from Beloit (32-37) with the win and won four of their last five games of the half to stay in contention for a playoff spot heading into the final day of the half. Alvarez gave the Bandits a lead with his two-run home run in the third. It was the fourth home run in Alvarez's last six games. Beloit answered with a two-run single by Nate Mondou in the home half of the inning. That score held until an Eric Marinez single in the sixth gave Beloit the lead.
Quad Cities rallied for a pair of runs in the eighth to take the lead. Bryan De La Cruz pinch hit to make his Bandit debut and led off the inning with a single, got to third when Jonathan Arauz reached on a two-base error then an intentional walk to Alvarez loaded the bases. Ray Henderson pinch hit and bounced into a fielder's choice but everyone was safe thanks to the second error of the inning, bringing home the tying run. Tyler Wolfe also bounced into a fielder's choice to plate the go-ahead run. It was the first RBI of the year for Wolfe, playing in his third game.
Abdiel Saldana (2-1) got the win for three innings of relief for the Bandits. Yordes Alejo (2-2) gave up two unearned runs in 2.1 innings to suffer the loss. Kevin Hill allowed two base runners in the ninth but worked a scoreless frame for his second save of the year.
After the All-Star break, the Bandits open the second half at home against the Cedar Rapids Kernels Thursday at 6:35 p.m. CT. Gates will open one hour prior to first pitch for a Thursty Thursday at the ballpark as the Bandits open a four-game set with the team that edged them out for the Wild Card spot in the first half. Tickets are available by calling (563) 324-3000, visiting riverbandits.com or at the box office at Modern Woodmen Park.
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BANDITS FALL IN EXTRAS TO BELOIT SATURDAY
Quad Cities needs win plus Cedar Rapids loss in first half final day
BELOIT, Wisc. - The Quad Cities River Bandits fell, 4-3, to the Beloit Snappers in ten innings Saturday night at Pohlman Field. Eric Marinez delivered the walk-off single to down the Bandits, meaning Quad Cities will need a win Sunday plus a loss by Cedar Rapids on the final day of the first half in order to secure the Wild Card spot in the Western Division.
Quad Cities (36-31) twice took one-run leads in the game. Taylor Jones doubled home two runs in the eighth inning to put Quad Cities up 3-2, but Beloit (32-36) got the run back when Miguel Mercedes led off the inning with a double then scored with two outs on a wild pitch. After two walks in the tenth, Marinez's single to left allowed Kyle Nowlin to score the winning run. The Bandits took their first lead of the night on a Wander Franco double in the fifth, bringing home Daz Cameron to open up the scoring. The Snappers got a brief lead in the sixth on a Trace Loehr two-run double with two down.
Salvador Montano (1-2) suffers the loss, allowing a run on on just one hit but three walks in 1.1 innings. Sam Sheehan (2-0) hurled a scoreless tenth to earn the win. Chuckie Robinson and Franco each had two hits in the loss. Yohan Ramirez pitched a career-high 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits in no decision in his start for Quad Cities. Zack Erwin allowed one run on five hits while striking out four batters in six innings of work as Beloit's starter.
Quad Cities will look to do their part, looking for a win and some help on the final day of the first half Sunday in Beloit. RHP Ronel Blanco (2-1, 3.22) gets the start for the River Bandits against RHP Brandon Bailey (1-1, 2.63) for Beloit. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. and you can join Jake Levy for the radio call on 1170 AM K-BOB, riverbandits.com and the TuneIn app.
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BANDITS DRAW EVEN IN WILD CARD RACE WITH WIN
Forrest Whitley fans career-high eight in 3.2 innings as Bandits beat Snappers 5-3
BELOIT, Wisc. - The Quad Cities River Bandits are now even in the Western Division Wild Card standings with two games remaining in the first half after a 5-3 win over the Beloit Snappers Friday night at Pohlman Field, coupled with a loss by the Cedar Rapids Kernels. The Bandits hit three home runs in the win with Yordan Alvarez, Daz Cameron, and Marcos Almonte all going deep while Forrest Whitley got his second win of the year for 3.2 scoreless innings that featured a career-high eight strikeouts.
With the Bandits (36-30) up 5-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, Whitley (2-2) gave up back-to-back hits to lead off the inning. Salvador Montano came on in relief and struck out three straight Beloit (31-36) batters to slam the door on the win and earn his first save of the season. Whitley allowed four hits in 3.2 innings, striking out a career-high eight while walking only one to get his first win since his season debut on April 11.
The River Bandits got on the board first with a two-run homer from Alvarez in the first inning. His eighth homer of the season, Alvarez has gone deep in three of his last four games and now has 31 RBI in 30 games played this season. Beloit got a run back in the home first on a two-out single by Miguel Mercedes. The Bandits padded their lead in the fourth when Taylor Jones launched a sacrifice fly before Cameron cleared the scoreboard in left-center with his sixth homer of the season. The next inning, Almonte led off with a solo blast to cap off the Bandits scoring.
The Snappers rallied for a pair of runs in the fifth, chasing Bandits starter Carlos Sanabria from the game. Sanabria allowed three runs on six hits in 4.1 innings, striking out five while walking two. Mitchell Jordan served up all three long balls for Beloit, allowing five runs on eight hits in four innings. He also walked three batters without recording a strikeout. Xavier Altamirano kept the Snappers close with four scoreless relief innings, striking out eight batters while allowing just one walk and one hit. Beloit went 3-for-13 with RISP while Quad Cities went 2-for-8 in the category. The 16 strikeouts tossed by Bandits pitching was one shy of their season high for a game.
Quad Cities looks to keep pace in the race for a playoff spot Saturday in the middle game of the three-game series in Beloit. RHP Yohan Ramirez (0-1, 4.50) gets the start for the Bandits against LHP Zack Erwin (1-0, 1.15) for Beloit. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. CT and you can hear all the action with Jake Levy on 1170 AM K-BOB, riverbandits.com and the TuneIn app.
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