MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

TinCaps Battle Back to Even Series

Published on May 24, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


On a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Modern Woodmen Park, the Quad Cities River Bandits took an early lead but faltered in the middle innings of a 6-3 loss to the Fort Wayne TinCaps in front of a U.S. Bank Family Sunday crowd of 3,991.

Quad Cities (22-20) fell to 4-5 on the current homestand, which will wind down with a special 12:00 p.m. start on Monday in honor of Memorial Day. Fort Wayne (28-15) got three-hit games from Drew Cumberland and Matt Clark, tying the score with a run in the fifth before taking the lead for good in the sixth.

The game was tied at 2-2 when the TinCaps jumped out in front in the top of the sixth. Allan Dykstra singled to start the rally and scored all the way from first when Matt Clark stung an 0-2 pitch to the gap in left-center for a double. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Dykstra crossed the plate on a double play ball to give Fort Wayne a 4-2 lead.

Niko Vasquez pulled the River Bandits to within 4-3 with a two-out single in the sixth for his second RBI of the game, but Quad Cities stranded nine men on base - including six over the final four innings - and came up short.

Meanwhile, the TinCaps added single runs in the seventh and ninth to go up 6-3. Brad Brach finished the job in the final frame, hitting the first batter he faced before setting down the next three for his league-leading 12th save of the year.

Simon Castro (2-2) earned the win with six solid innings, allowing three runs - two earned - on six hits and striking out four. The lanky Dominican right-hander bounced back from a first-inning run to retire 14 of the next 15 batters he faced before the Bandits rallied for three hits in the sixth.

Kevin Thomas (2-1) suffered the loss for Quad Cities. Making his first appearance in two weeks due to a back injury, Thomas was roughed up for three runs on four hits and three walks.

Early on, the River Bandits held a pair of early one-run leads.

Alex Castellanos drew a bases loaded walk with two outs in the first to start the scoring, but Fort Wayne tied things up with a run in the second. Castellanos was at it again in the bottom of the fourth, reaching on an infield single before stealing second and moving to third on an error. Moments later he scored on a groundout by Vasquez, but in the very next half inning the TinCaps checked in with a run to tie the score again, this time at 2-2.

UP NEXT: The River Bandits conclude the current homestand with Senior Citizens Day for a special Memorial Day matinee, featuring a Noon start time on Monday. Quad Cities then hits the road for 10 games before returning to Modern Woodmen Park on June 6 to kick off an eight-game homestand - the last of the first half.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: Under new ownership and management in 2008, the Quad Cities River Bandits topped 207,000 fans for only the sixth time in team history and the first time in 12 years. Having recently completed one of the most successful seasons in the history of the franchise - and with a renewed dedication to fans, sponsors and the Quad Cities community - the return of the River Bandits has brought a resurgence of support for the team. Banditwear, season tickets and mini-plans, and individual game tickets are on sale for the 2009 season by calling (563) 3-BANDIT or heading to www.RiverBandits.com. But hurry - good seats are going fast!

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Midwest League Stories from May 24, 2009


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