DAVENPORT, Iowa (April 12, 2015) - Quad Cities River Bandits designated hitter Jacob Nottingham came within a triple of the cycle, and right-hander Austin Chrismon tossed the team's best start of the season with six innings of one-run, two-hit ball in a 7-2 home-opening victory over the Clinton LumberKings in front of 4,139 at Modern Woodmen Park Sunday afternoon.
In front of the team's largest home-opening crowd since 2012, Quad Cities (3-1) won its home opener for the first time in four years. The last home-opening win for the River Bandits came in a 7-4 victory against Beloit on April 8, 2011.
In his Midwest League debut, Chrismon (1-0) allowed a leadoff single to LumberKings left fielder Chantz Mack, followed by a bunt single by second baseman Nelson Ward. On the bunt, third baseman Kristian Trompiz made an errant throw to first base, allowing Mack to reach third base with no outs. Right fielder Alex Jackson then hit a sacrifice fly to right field for a 1-0 Clinton lead. That began a string of 16 consecutive batters retired by Chrismon before a two-out walk to Ward in the sixth inning. Chrismon struck out three batters and was charged with one unearned run in the longest start for a Quad Cities pitcher this season.
Left-hander Patrick Peterson (0-1) held the 1-0 lead for Clinton (2-2) through the first four innings, working around two singles and a walk to strand three baserunners. In the fifth, however, Nottingham led off by swatting his first Midwest League home run out to right field to tie the game, 1-1. Two batters later, shortstop Thomas Lindauer's ground ball eluded third baseman Joe DeCarlo down the third-base line, allowing Lindauer to reach second base. A wild pitch moved Lindauer to third base, and he scored the go-ahead run on center fielder Bobby Boyd's RBI single to left field. Boyd then stole second base, and with two outs, left fielder Derek Fisher singled up the middle to score Boyd and reached second base on the throw home. First baseman Nick Tanielu followed with a single to left field and got all the way to third base on a throwing error by left fielder Chantz Mack. DeCarlo's second fielding error of the inning allowed right fielder Ryan Bottger to reach first base and Tanielu to score the fifth run of the inning.
Patrick Peterson was charged with all five runs - one earned - on six hits and one walk with three strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. He made his Midwest League debut in the same game his twin brother, River Bandits right-hander Eric Peterson, also made his Midwest League debut. Eric Peterson followed Chrismon to start the seventh inning with a 6-1 lead, after Nottingham hit a sixth-inning double off right-hander Ramire Cleto and scored on Boyd's sacrifice fly. Eric Peterson allowed a leadoff double by DeCarlo, who scored after a single by catcher Adam Martin and sacrifice fly by first baseman Kristian Brito, cutting the Quad Cities lead to 6-2. Eric Peterson finished two innings, allowing two hits and one earned run with one strikeout.
The River Bandits added their final run in the eighth inning, when catcher Alfredo Gonzalez drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third base on Nottingham's single to center field and scored on a balk by Cleto. The 7-2 lead was upheld by River Bandits right-hander Ryan Thompson in the ninth inning, as he struck out two batters around one hit for his second straight scoreless one-inning finish to a Quad Cities win in the first four games of the season.
The River Bandits continue their series with Clinton at 7 p.m. Moday at Modern Woodmen Park. River Bandits right-hander Brock Dykxhoorn is scheduled to face LumberKings right-hander Lukas Schiraldi.
UP NEXT: The first Military Monday presented by Performance Food Group, 97X, and ESPN 93.5 means all active and retired military personnel may purchase $1 tickets for themselves and up to three guests with a military ID at the box office. Gates open at 6:00 p.m., when the first 1,000 fans receive a Mediacom River Bandits magnet schedule. Individual tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office and online at riverbandits.com. Ticket plans of 12 to 70 games - which include free parking, reserved seats, merchandise discounts, and guaranteed giveaways - are available by calling 563-324-3000.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits ownership in 2014 made one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 105 feet over the playing field, opened May 24, Space Camp opened June 20; the new Drop'N Twist debuted in July; and the newly expanded 300-foot long zip line also reopened.
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