10
Sep
2015
Strong pitching, opportunistic offense propel Cedar Rapids to series-opening 5-2 win
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (September 9, 2015) - Cedar Rapids starter Felix Jorge pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on nine hits, striking out seven batters and walking one, and Quad Cities River Bandits errors factored into two Kernels run-scoring rallies in the home team's 5-2 win in Game 1 of the Western Division Semifinal at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium Wednesday night.
Jorge (1-0) struck out three of the first five batters he faced, but he also allowed one baserunner in each of the first three innings. Quad Cities put at least one runner on base in seven of the eight innings Jorge started, with the only 1-2-3 inning coming in the seventh.
For the River Bandits, Joshua James (0-1) allowed runners on second and third bases with one out in the first inning, before striking out third baseman T.J. White and getting designated hitter Alex Real to ground out to end the inning. In the second inning, James issued a leadoff walk to center fielder LaMonte Wade before getting three flyouts to keep the game scoreless.
In the third inning, however, James began by walking second baseman Rafael Valera, and shortstop Nick Gordon singled to left field. Right fielder Edgar Corcino's ensuing fly ball sent left fielder Drew Ferguson into the left-field corner for a sliding catch, and he relayed the ball to second baseman Luis Reynoso, who threw to first baseman Ryan Bottger in time to double off Gordon. With two outs and Valera at second base, White singled to left field and went to second base when Ferguson's throw home bounced past catcher Garrett Stubbs. In a scoreless game with two outs and two runners in scoring position, Real lined a single to left-center field that scored both runs for a 2-0 lead.
Quad Cities answered in the top of the fourth inning, opening with back-to-back singles by designated hitter Bryan Muñiz and right fielder Ramon Laureano. Catcher Garrett Stubbs bunted both runners into scoring position, and Bottger drove in Muñiz with the sacrifice fly to right field, and Laureano tagged up and advanced to third base. Shortstop Kristian Trompiz beat Gordon's throw on a two-out infield chopper that scored Laureano to tie the game, 2-2. Before throwing another pitch, Jorge picked off Trompiz at first base to end the inning.
In a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning, Kernels catcher Brian Navarreto hit a sharp one-out ground ball to third baseman Nick Tanielu for an infield single, and Valera doubled down the third-base line to put two runners in scoring position. Gordon's sacrifice fly to left field scored Navarreto, and when Tanielu cut off Ferguson's throw and overthrew second base, Valera tried to advance, but Laureano threw out Valera at third base to end the inning. After that, the closest Quad Cities came to a tie was in the fifth inning, when Ferguson and Tanielu hit two-out singles to put the tying run at third base, before Muñiz's inning-ending groundout to first base.
In the sixth inning, the Kernels got a one-out single by first baseman Chris Paul against River Bandits reliever Andrew Thome, who threw a wild pitch to Navarreto, advancing Paul to second base. A groundout and second wild pitch scored Paul to make it 4-2. The Kernels got their final run in the seventh inning, as Gordon doubled to left field, and when Laureano caught a fly ball in right field, Gordon went to third base and scored when Laureano's throw went into the third-base dugout. The River Bandits had the tying run at the plate in the eighth inning, with two baserunners and one out, but right-hander Luke Bard got Laureano to fly out to right field and Stubbs to pop out to Gordon to end the inning. Right-hander Nick Anderson pitched a scoreless ninth inning, inducing a game-ending double play for the save.
The best-of-three series shifts to Modern Woodmen Park for Game 2 at 7 p.m. Thursday, when the River Bandits must win to continue their season. River Bandits right-hander Brock Dykxhoorn (8-5, 3.88) is scheduled to face Kernels right-hander Sam Gibbons (7-4, 2.89).
UP NEXT: Tickets are on sale at riverbandits.com and the Modern Woodmen Park box office for the River Bandits' first home playoff game Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. For all playoff home games, box seat tickets are $9 each, and general admission tickets are $5 each. Current ticket plan holders (12 games or more) receive free playoff tickets by making a $100-per-seat renewal deposit toward a 2016 ticket package. Group area picnic pricing for 2015 playoff games is the same as regular season pricing, with full details at riverbandits.com/groups. Suite rentals, including 16 tickets per suite, are $350 per game. Tickets for playoff home games beyond Sept. 10 will be made available once the game becomes necessary. A full playoff schedule is available at riverbandits.com.
