09
Jun
2014
Quad Cities extends home win streak to eight, takes half-game lead over Burlington to half's final week
DAVENPORT, Iowa (June 8, 2014) - The Quad Cities River Bandits used a pair of sixth-inning rallies to take leads they eventually held for 3-1 and 4-2 wins over the Peoria Chiefs in each game of a Sunday afternoon doubleheader, which resulted in the home team taking over second place in the Midwest League Western Division first-half race in front of 4,046 at Modern Woodmen Park.
With its first victorious sweep of a doubleheader this season, Quad Cities (33-29) extended its season-high home winning streak to eight games. With one week remaining in the first half, the River Bandits lead the race for second place and a playoff berth by one-half game over Burlington (32-29) - which picked up two wins over Beloit Sunday - and one game over Peoria (32-30). Wisconsin (31-31) is two games behind Quad Cities after sweeping a Sunday doubleheader over Clinton (29-32), which fell 3 ½ games back.
In Game 1, the River Bandits took a second-inning lead, as third baseman Tyler White brought in first baseman Chase McDonald with an RBI double to left field off left-hander Rob Kaminsky. River Bandits right-hander Kevin Comer kept the 1-0 lead through his 3 1/3 innings, in which he allowed two hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Right-hander Andrew Walter (3-2) stranded two runners on base to end the fourth inning and kept Peoria scoreless until the sixth, when he hit left fielder Kenny Peoples-Walls with a pitch and allowed designated hitter Ronnierd Garcia's game-tying RBI double to right field. Garcia was thrown out trying to reach third base, keeping the game tied, 1-1.
Chiefs right-hander Kevin Herget (3-3) began the bottom of the sixth inning with a walk to McDonald, who was lifted for the Midwest League debut of pinch runner Jose Fernandez. Herget got a strikeout and flyout before allowing two-out walks to left fielder Jon Kemmer and catcher Brett Booth to load the bases. Left-hander Steven Sabatino entered and had a 1-2 count on shortstop Thomas Lindauer before a sharp grounder took a hop off third base into left field, scoring two runs on Lindauer's double for a 3-1 Quad Cities lead. In the top of the seventh inning, right-hander Frederick Tiburcio retired all three batters in the seventh inning for his third save.
In Game 2, the Chiefs took a first-inning lead off right-hander Andrew Thurman (3-3), as center fielder C.J. McElroy Jr. drew a leadoff walk, went to second base on a single, to third on a groundout and scored on catcher Carson Kelly's sacrifice fly. In the fourth inning, Thurman allowed a leadoff double by shortstop Juan Herrera, who went to third base on a flyout and scored on a groundout for a 2-0 lead. It was the final run against Thurman in his career-high six innings, in which he allowed four hits, walked one batter and struck out two.
Quad Cities began a comeback against right-hander Blake McKnight (1-6) with Kemmer's fourth-inning, one-out triple and Fernandez's RBI single to left field for his first Midwest League hit. The Chiefs' 2-1 lead remained until the bottom of the sixth inning, when McKnight hit White, and left fielder Ronnie Mitchell reached on an error by second baseman Robelys Reyes. Right-hander Chris Perry entered to allow Kemmer's first sacrifice of the season to put runners at second and third bases. Fernandez lifted a go-ahead, two-run single to shallow right field to cap his 2-for-3, three-RBI game, and Lindauer finished a three-RBI doubleheader with an single to left field for a 4-2 lead. In the seventh, All-Star right-hander Tyler Brunnemann struck out the first two batters before a game-ending flyout for his second save.
In Monday's 7 p.m. series finale, River Bandits left-hander Chris Lee (2-3) is scheduled to face Chiefs right-hander Arturo Reyes (3-3).
UP NEXT: The Cardinals Fantacular Giveaway - including a drawing for Cardinals-Cubs tickets - highlights Monday's 7 p.m. series finale between the River Bandits and Chiefs. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for Hunger Games Night presented by EPIX with a headphone giveaway for the first 1,000 fans on Markdown Monday presented by 97X, with $2 bleacher and berm tickets, beer, soda, hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn and nachos. An all-you-can ride amusements pass is just $10. Tickets are available at riverbandits.com. To order any of the River Bandits 2014 ticket plans - with new lower prices - call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.
