RESILIENT BANDITS BEAT BELOIT IN EXTRAS SUNDAY
Kristian Trompiz has two RBI and Myles Straw collects four hits in win
BELOIT, Wisc. -- The Quad Cities River Bandits erased a one-run deficit in each of the last two innings of regulation before finally winning in eleven innings, 3-2, over the Beloit Snappers Sunday at Pohlman Field. The River Bandits never led until the eleventh inning, when Kristian Trompiz drove in his second run of the game for the eventual game-winner. Myles Straw had four hits in the game and Bobby Wernes had the game-tying RBI in the ninth inning. The Bandits have now won three straight extra-inning games.
After a walk and Straw's fourth hit of the game, the River Bandits (20-16, 51-54) had two on and one out in the eleventh inning for Trompiz, who laced a single into right to bring around Anthony Hermelyn with the eventual game-winning run. It was the first time all day the Bandits had been in front.
The Bandits tied the game in both the eighth and ninth inning to force extras. Trompiz tied the game in the eighth with a double off the left field wall to score Straw and tie the game at 1-1. After Beloit (14-22, 46-59) regained the lead during a run down with two outs in the home eighth, Wernes doubled into left-center to plate the tying run in the ninth.
Ralph Garza (5-4) did not allow a base runner in three innings of relief for the Bandits, earning the victory. Cody Kurz (2-5) allowed a walk and single while recording one out in the eleventh suffered the loss. With the win, the Bandits clinched the season series with Beloit, leading it 10-6 with two games left between the Western Division rivals.
The Bandits look to continue their playoff push as the calendar turns to August for Monday's game three of the four-match series. Franklin Perez (2-2) gets the ball for Quad Cities against Zack Erwin (0-0, 4.50) for the Snappers. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. CT and you can join Jake Levy for the broadcast, beginning at 6:45 with the LLOYD Agencies Pregame Show, on 1170 AM K-BOB, riverbandits.com and the TuneIn app.
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BANDITS OUT-DUEL BELOIT IN SERIES OPENER
Pat Porter home run proves to be the difference in 2-1 win Saturday
DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The Quad Cities River Bandits beat the Beloit Snappers, 2-1, Saturday night at Pohlman Field. Pat Porter launched a solo home run in the seventh inning to break the tie and send the Bandits to a series-opening win. Chris Murphy tossed four scoreless innings of relief to close out the game while Framber Valdez allowed one run in five innings in his Bandit debut.
Murphy (5-6) took over in a tie game and surrendered one hit and one walk over four scoreless innings. He struck out a season-high five batters, picking up a win in his second straight outing. Porter took the first pitch of the seventh inning over the right field wall for his seventh home run of the season, putting him in a tie for the team lead in long balls for the season. Brendan Butler (1-1) took the loss, surrendering two runs in seven innings.
The Bandits (19-15, 50-54) got on the board first in the top of the second inning. Anthony Hermelyn laced a single back up the middle with two outs in the frame and advanced to second on a wild pitch, setting up Christian Correa for a ground-ball single through the left side to plate Hermelyn and give the Bandits the lead.
Beloit (14-21, 46-58) immediately responded in the home side. Back-to-back singles led off the inning to put runners at the corners before an error allowed the tying run to score. Valdez stranded the other two runners and the bases loaded the next inning, keeping Beloit at bay long enough for the Bandits to get the late lead.
Quad Cities looks to make it two in a row Sunday at 2:00 p.m. CT. Hector Perez (0-0, 6.75) gets the ball for the Bandits against Evan Manarino (8-5, 2.75) for the Snappers. You can join Jake Levy for the radio broadcast, starting with the LLOYD Agencies Pregame Show, at 1:45 on 1170 AM K-BOB, riverbandits.com and the TuneIn app.
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BANDITS WELCOME EIGHT-MILLIONTH FAN DURING FRIDAY'S GAME
Crowd of 5,241 pushes Modern Woodmen Park over milestone attendance number
DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The Quad Cities River Bandits and surrounding community celebrated a milestone during Friday night's game at Modern Woodmen Park. The eight-millionth fan, Braeden Billings, came through the gates of the Friendliest Ballpark in America during the Bandits home game against the Peoria Chiefs. The attendance has been tracked since 1960, when Quad Cities became a member of the Midwest League. The benchmark was reached during the final game of a nine-game homestand for the River Bandits.
After setting single-season attendance records in each of the last two seasons, Modern Woodmen Park had welcomed 7,824,000 fans through its gates from 1960 through 2015. The River Bandits had welcomed 173,785 fans during the 2016 season entering Friday. With the milestone 2,215 guests away, the benchmark was reached Friday when Billings entered the Friendliest Ballpark in America.
"I wasn't really expecting it, but it's awesome and really exciting," said Billings after being told he's the eight-millionth fan at Modern Woodmen Park.
The rising fifth-grader is a Des Moines, Iowa native visiting his grandparents in the Quad Cities Area. The lucky fan was rewarded with a basket of gifts from the River Bandits, including an autographed baseball from Astros No. 4 prospect Kyle Tucker and general admission season tickets for the 2017 season. With Billings joining his family for a River Bandits game, it was an appropriate way for the milestone to be achieved.
"We are so grateful to the people of the Quad Cities for supporting the River Bandits so strongly," said River Bandits owner Dave Heller. "To have 8 million people pass through our gates is a tremendous milestone, and to see our attendance increasing every season makes it especially gratifying. The River Bandits and the Quad Cities are a perfect match -- a championship team for a championship community."
The Bandits entered Friday ranked eighth in the Midwest League in average attendance for the 2016 season. Modern Woodmen Park underwent a full-scale renovation in 2002 and have seen crowds surpass 7,000 18 times since the expansion. The largest single-game attendance came nearly one calendar year ago, when 8,207 fans attended the River Bandits July 31, 2015 game against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.
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