Cedar Rapids scores twice in 11th inning to win 3-1, take series from Quad Cities in two games
DAVENPORT, Iowa (September 11, 2015) - Cedar Rapids right-hander Sam Gibbons held the Quad Cities River Bandits to one run in eight innings, and Kernels first baseman Chris Paul had three hits and all three RBIs - including a go-ahead, two-run single in the 11th inning - in a 3-1 win and two-game series sweep of the Midwest League Western Division Semifinal in front of 1,555 at Modern Woodmen Park Thursday night.
With the game tied at one since the fourth inning, the Kernels' 11th-inning rally began when right-hander Angel Heredia (0-1) walked third baseman T.J. White, and on center fielder LaMonte Wade's sacrifice bunt, catcher Garrett Stubbs skipped a throw to second base that went into center field, allowing White to reach third base. Shortstop Kristian Trompiz then overthrew third base, allowing Wade to reach second. Paul then rolled a grounder up the first-base line past first baseman Bryan Muñiz, scoring both White and Wade for a 3-1 Kernels lead.
Right-hander Nick Anderson saved a second straight Cedar Rapids victory with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 11th inning. That concluded a six-inning stretch in which Kernels pitchers faced the minimum number of Quad Cities batters. Right-hander Yorman Landa (1-0) earned the win with two shutout innings, only allowing a 10th-inning leadoff single to left fielder Drew Ferguson - the only Quad Cities baserunner in the last six innings - before catching a bunt popup by right fielder Ramon Laureano and doubling Ferguson off first base.
Gibbons began the game by retiring the first 10 River Bandits in order, and after allowing two hits in each of the fourth and fifth innings, retired the last nine consecutive men he faced, before turning the game over to the bullpen.
Cedar Rapids took the lead in the top of the fourth inning against River Bandits starter Brock Dykxhoorn, beginning with a fielding error on Muñiz that allowed right fielder Edgar Corcino to reach first base. White drew a walk, and Wade's sacrifice put both runners in scoring position with one out. Paul's groundout to Trompiz gave the Kernels a 1-0 lead.
Quad Cities got its run in the bottom half of the inning against Gibbons, beginning with a one-out triple to right-center field by designated hitter Jason Martin. Third baseman Nick Tanielu followed with a single through the left side of the infield to tie the game, 1-1.
The River Bandits kept the game even through the middle innings with Dykxhoorn's 6 2/3 innings, in which he allowed an unearned run on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Right-hander Eric Peterson replaced Dykxhoorn after a seventh-inning, two-out single by catcher Brian Navarreto and got left fielder Austin Diemer to pop out in foul territory to Stubbs to end the inning. Heredia began the ninth inning and worked around a two-out walk. In the 10th inning, Heredia allowed consecutive two-out singles to second baseman Rafael Valera and shortstop Nick Gordon, putting runners at first and third bases, before striking out Corcino to end the inning.
The Kernels advanced to face Peoria in the best-of-three Western Division Final. The River Bandits have been swept out of the first round by Cedar Rapids in each of their two best regular seasons in franchise history - a 91-46 finish in 1992 and their 88-50 finish this season.
In addition to the best regular season winning percentage (.638) in full-season Minor League Baseball for the first time in franchise history, the River Bandits posted a franchise-record 2.65 ERA. The records came while Quad Cities led the Houston Astros organization by using 61 players and 37 pitchers - both franchise records.
The River Bandits also set the franchise attendance record at 3,906 per game at Modern Woodmen Park and welcomed a total of 250,004 - the fourth-most since the franchise joined the Midwest League in 1960 and the highest since 1995.
UP NEXT: The Ferris wheel continues to offer rides at Modern Woodmen Park through the end of October (weather permitting). Every Saturday, the Ferris wheel is open for rides 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Visit riverbandits.com for the 2016 River Bandits schedule and information on news and events with the River Bandits and Modern Woodmen Park.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: With the installation of the Ferris Wheel, 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, and this year the club is matching that effort by opening three new areas. A two-tiered special group deck immediately behind and overlooking the corn field opened in June. A new 11,000-square-foot concourse expansion down the third-base line will open late August. Finally, the club has expanded the children's play area by an additional 5,500 square feet down the right-field line, with additional bounce houses and the newest ride - Spin Zone Bumper Cars - as the latest attraction.
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