MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Bandits Split Double-Header

Published on June 28, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


The Quad Cities River Bandits and Kane County Cougars traded wins and split a doubleheader on a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Modern Woodmen Park, as the Bandits exploded offensively to a 10-2 win in the opener before dropping the nightcap, 8-2.

In the first game, Quad Cities (2-2, 32-42) scored double-digit runs in game one for the first time since May 31, led by Osvaldo Morales' third homer in four games. Kane County (2-2, 43-31) battled back in game two behind a pair of home runs by Mike Spina and a strong starting performance from Shawn Haviland.

Trailing 1-0 in game one, the River Bandits took advantage of three Cougars errors to take control in the bottom of the third. Fielding miscues on back-to-back pitches allowed Paul Cruz and Jarred Bogany to reach base with one out, while Charlie Cutler tied the score with a double to left-center. After Bogany raced home on a wild pitch, Morales took a 2-2 curveball and blasted a two-run homer to give the River Bandits a 4-1 lead.

The advantage was 4-2 when the home team put the game away in the sixth. Ten men came to the plate during the frame, as Quad Cities rallied for six runs on six hits. Cutler drove home the first tally with a single before an out was recorded, while Jason Stidham, Roberto Espinoza and Brett Lilley hit three consecutive one-out RBI-singles. Later in the frame, Paul Cruz added a two-run knock to cap the rally and stretch the lead to a comfortable 10-2 margin.

Hector Cardenas (5-4) earned the win with five solid innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits and striking out four. Scott McGregor (1) mowed through the final two frames for his first career save, using just 11 pitches to retire all six men he faced. Kane County's Mathieu Leblanc-Poirier (0-1) took the loss, allowing four unearned runs on four hits in 3.2 innings of work.

In the second game, however, the Cougars led wire to wire.

Jeremy Barfield's first-inning single started the scoring, but it was a four-run rally in the third that saw Kane County seize control. On a day that featured vicious wind gusts up to 30 mph, the rally started with fly ball that never left the infield and dropped in up the third base line as Dusty Coleman led off with a double. Jason Christian scored him with a two-base hit to left, while Barfield followed by smacking a triple off the wall in left-center. Spina capped the rally with his first two-run homer of the game as the Cougars jumped in front, 5-0.

Jon Edwards provided the River Bandits' lone score with a two-run blast of his own in the fourth, but Spina came right back with his second homer of the game in the fifth. A bases-loaded walk in the seventh gave Kane County another run, reaching the 8-2 final.

Haviland (6-3) earned a well-deserved win, going 5.1 frames and allowing little more than the Edwards homer. The All-Star righty struck out five while giving up two runs on four hits.

Arquimedes Nieto (1-6) took the loss for Quad Cities, roughed up for five runs on five hits over three innings of work.

UP NEXT: After an off day on Monday, the River Bandits welcome the Burlington Bees to town for an Economic Stimulus Tuesday in which all tickets are 2-for-1 and kids 12 and under eat for free! July rolls in with a Rhythm City Casino Guaranteed Prize WINS-day and Faith Night on Wednesday. The Quad Cities' first Independence Day party will take place on July 2 at Modern Woodmen Park on a Thirst-day Thursday which will include $2 draft beer and fountain Pepsi products before an extravagant post-game fireworks show. The homestand concludes on July 3 as the City of Davenport's Red, White and Boom fireworks show kicks off at Modern Woodmen Park after the game for another huge Fourth of July party!

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Midwest League Stories from June 28, 2009


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