Quad Cities holds Beloit to two runs over 12 innings Thursday to post its best eight-game start in five years
BELOIT, Wis. (April 16, 2015) - Center fielder Derek Fisher homered in a third straight game, and left-hander Brian Radziewski struck out six batters in four hitless innings to help the Quad Cities River Bandits complete a 6-4 win from Wednesday's suspended game at Pohlman Field Thursday night. In the ensuing seven-inning contest, right-hander Joe Musgrove struck out five batters in five innings, and second baseman Alex Hernandez hit two RBI singles to give the visitors a 5-1 triumph for their fifth straight win.
With their longest winning streak since last July 19-24, Quad Cities (7-1) has its best eight-game start since achieving the same record at the outset of the 2010 season. In Friday's 6:30 p.m. series finale in Beloit, Quad Cities seeks its sixth straight win to match the club's longest winning streak of 2014. Quad Cities also seeks its first back-to-back series sweeps in the regular season since Aug. 11-17, 2007, when it swept four games from Fort Wayne (Aug. 11-14) and two from Kane County (Aug. 16-17) in a six-game home winning streak.
Resuming a 2-2, fifth-inning tie from Wednesday night's lighting malfunction, Radziewski (1-0) began with a runner at second base and allowed catcher Argenis Raga to place a bunt toward third baseman Jorge Martinez, who made an errant throw to first base to put runners at first and third bases. After a strikeout, shortstop Yairo Munoz grounded into a fielder's choice, beating the relay to first base to allow the run to score. The run was charged to Wednesday starter Chris Lee, who finished with three runs - one earned - on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Radziewski retired the next 10 batters in order, including six on strikeouts, to take his team through the eighth inning.
Trailing 3-2 against Snappers right-hander Kevin Johnson (0-1), Quad Cities quickly tied and took the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Right fielder Ryan Bottger reached on an error by second baseman Trent Gilbert, and River Bandits second baseman Mott Hyde laced a game-tying double to left-center field. Catcher Alfredo Gonzalez grounded out to move Hyde to third base, and he scored on first baseman Bryan Muñiz's RBI double - his first Midwest League hit and RBI - for a 4-3 Quad Cities lead.
Fisher added his two-run home run after designated hitter Jamie Ritchie walked in the seventh inning. That was enough for Radziewski and right-hander Keegan Yuhl, who allowed a pair of doubles and a run in the ninth inning before recording his first save of the season.
In the regularly scheduled game, shortened to seven innings because it followed the completion of a game suspended before the end of the fifth inning, Quad Cities held a lead from the first inning to the end. Against right-hander Jordan Schwartz (0-1), left fielder Bobby Boyd hit a leadoff single to right field, stole second base, went to third on Fisher's infield single and scored when Bottger hit into a fielder's choice. In the second, first baseman Jacob Nottingham hit a one-out double to right field and scored when Hernandez singled to right field..
Beloit (1-7) scored its only run in the second inning. First baseman Sandber Pimentel led off with a double down the right-field line, went to third base on a flyout and scored when catcher Jose Chavez dribbled an infield single to the third-base side of the pitcher's mound.
Quad Cities extended the lead with Hyde doubling and scoring on another single by Hernandez in the fourth inning, and Ritchie walking, stealing second and scoring on Hyde's single in the fifth inning. The Snappers loaded the bases in the fifth to put the tying run at first base, but Musgrove struck out third baseman Joe Bennie to end the threat. Musgrove allowed one earned run on five hits with no walks.
Schwartz lasted five innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts, and right-hander Carlos Navas allowed a leadoff double in the seventh inning to Boyd, who scored on a two-out wild pitch. The 5-1 lead was held by Quad Cities right-hander Eric Peterson, who set down all six batters - including three on strikeouts in the sixth and seventh innings for his first save. Five different pitchers have recorded the five saves by the River Bandits this season.
UP NEXT: Registration is open for the Sunday, April 19, Frozen Princess Day private meet-and-greet with the Ice Queen and Snow Princess at Modern Woodmen Park. The special package includes Frozen-themed food, drinks, desserts, goodie bags and games in the Budweiser Champions Club, and a reserved box seat for the 1:15 p.m. game. Call 563-324-3000 for details. 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.
*****
