FORT WAYNE, Ind. (August 12, 2015) - Quad Cities River Bandits right-handers Dean Deetz and Brandon McNitt held the Fort Wayne TinCaps to one hit through the first seven innings and only allowed three hits the entire game to the home team, but four TinCaps combined on a four-hit shutout - the first against Quad Cities in two months - in a 2-0 final at Parkview Field Wednesday night.
The TinCaps (28-17 second half, 60-53 overall) won their ninth straight home game and handed the River Bandits (29-16, 74-39) their second three-game losing streak of the season and first since May 26. Quad Cities lost a shutout for the first time since Game 2 of a June 12 doubleheader at home against Lansing.
Making his first Midwest League appearance since April 30, 2014, TinCaps right-hander Pete Kelich (1-0) retired the first two batters, and after All-Star third baseman Nick Tanielu reached on an infield single to third base, catcher Jose Ruiz threw him out at second base when he tried to advance on a pitch in the dirt.
In the bottom of the first inning, Deetz (1-1) walked TinCaps second baseman Josh VanMeter on four pitches with one out. Designated hitter Ruddy Giron then hit one-hop ground ball to Deetz, whose high throw to second base went off second baseman Jose Fernandez's glove into center field, allowing VanMeter to reach third base on the first Quad Cities error in six games. Deetz then walked right fielder Franmil Reyes to load the bases, before a four-pitch walk to left fielder Franchy Cordero forced in a run for a 1-0 Fort Wayne lead.
With the bases still loaded and one out, Deetz got center fielder Michael Gettys to ground to Fernandez to begin an inning-ending double play. For the rest of his five-inning start, Deetz only allowed two baserunners, as Gettys reached on a fourth-inning, two-out throwing error by Fernandez, and TinCaps third baseman Luis Tejada had his team's first hit on a fifth-inning, leadoff infield single behind second base. Deetz walked three batters and struck out four and was charged with an unearned run.
Kelich scattered three hits and one walk with two strikeouts in a season-long, five-inning start, and only one River Bandit reached second base against him, as designated hitter Luis Reynoso and left fielder Jason Martin each singled in the third inning before Kelich escaped.
The River Bandits had their best scoring chance in the seventh inning against TinCaps left-hander Taylor Cox, who pitched a perfect sixth inning but began the seventh with a four-pitch walk to right fielder Drew Ferguson. First baseman Ryan Bottger then singled to right field to put runners at first and third bases. With no outs, Fernandez put a squeeze bunt toward first baseman Trae Santos, who flipped to Ruiz to tag out Ferguson at home plate. After catcher Garrett Stubbs flied out, Cox departed after 1 2/3 innings of work. Right-hander T.J. Weir entered with runners at first and second bases to face Reynoso with two outs, but during the at-bat, Ruiz and Santos combined to pick off Fernandez at first base to end the inning. Weir pitched a perfect eighth inning to contribute 1 1/3 total innings.
Following Deetz, McNitt set down the first seven batters he faced until a one-out walk to Ruiz in the bottom of the eighth inning. Two batters later, VanMeter grounded a two-out single to right field, and Giron hit a line-drive RBI single to right field for a 2-0 Fort Wayne lead. It was enough for right-hander Yimmi Brasoban, who pitched a perfect ninth inning for his eighth save. The TinCaps' win secured the River Bandits' second road series loss of the season and first since losing two of three games July 21-23 at Kane County.
The River Bandits conclude their series in Fort Wayne at 6:05 p.m. Central Thursday, when River Bandits right-hander Agapito Barrios (1-0) is scheduled to face TinCaps right-hander Dinelson Lamet (3-6).
UP NEXT: The River Bandits have two specialty jerseys among the top 10 in MiLB.com's Jersey Joust contest to decide the best specialty jersey in Minor League Baseball. Visit riverbandits.com for a link to vote until Aug. 25 for the 2014 Autism Awareness Jersey and 2015 Boy Scouts Jersey. 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.
