MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Walsh Homers Twice in River Bandits' 9-2 Win

Published on May 6, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


DAVENPORT, Iowa (MAY 6, 2012) - The Quad Cities River Bandits won their third straight game, continuing their offensive dominance from Saturday's series-opening win over the Peoria Chiefs by taking a Sunday afternoon contest, 9-2, in front of 3,651 fans in the second game of Championship Weekend at Modern Woodmen Park.

Left fielder Colin Walsh hit a three-run home run to right field in the first inning to open the scoring and capped Quad Cities' offensive show with his second of the game, third of the series and Midwest League-high ninth of the season leading off the seventh inning. He finished the day 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBI.

Left-hander Hector Hernandez (2-2) had a 3-0 lead after one inning and worked around six hits and five walks to finish six innings, strike out three batters, allow one run and win for the first time in exactly one month.

Quad Cities (17-13) added a run in the fourth inning when Walsh singled and designated hitter Roberto De La Cruz doubled down the left-field line to drive him home. De La Cruz followed a four-hit, four-RBI night Saturday with a 2-for-4, three-RBI game Sunday.

The Chiefs (11-19) scored in the top of the fifth inning on first baseman Paul Hoilman's RBI single that drove in second baseman Zeke DeVoss. With the single, the Peoria first baseman extended his hitting streak to a Midwest League season-high 19 games.

The River Bandits answered with a four-run bottom of the fifth. Center fielder Nick Martini worked a one-out walk against right-hander Michael Jensen (3-2), who was lifted after 4 1/3 innings in which he allowed five hits, five runs - four earned - and one walk while striking out four batters. Right-hander Austin Reed came on in relief, and with his first pitch, he hit River Bandits third baseman Tyler Rahmatulla in the batting helmet with a fastball. Rahmatulla walked off the field alongside the training staff and was removed from the game, but he was treated at the stadium and did not go to the hospital. He is day-to-day as a precaution. After a wild pitch put runners at second and third, De La Cruz hit a two-run single to right-center field to make it 6-1. Following an error by Chiefs third baseman Ryan Cuneo, right fielder Virgil Hill doubled into the left field corner to bring in two more runs and push the lead to 8-1.

As with his first-inning blast, Walsh's seventh-inning homer left the stadium beyond the right-field deck headed toward the Mississippi River, giving Quad Cities a 9-1 advantage. Walsh leads the league with 20 extra-base hits, 73 total bases, and 27 runs scored.

Right-hander Robert Stock shut out Peoria on one hit and two strikeouts in the seventh and eighth innings. Left-hander Danny Miranda pitched the ninth inning and allowed a run on two hits but got designated hitter Rafael Lopez on a groundout to end the game.

With a rainout at Wisconsin and a win by Beloit, the River Bandits stayed tied for second and moved within a game-and-a-half of the Timber Rattlers in the Midwest League Western Division. Quad Cities will host Peoria again Monday morning at 11 a.m. at Modern Woodmen Park. Right-hander Tyrell Jenkins (1-1) will oppose Chiefs right-hander P.J. Francescon (2-1).

UP NEXT: The River Bandits play host to the Chiefs again Monday morning, continuing the Rivertown Showdown. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m., and gates open at 9:30 a.m. Monday is also a scheduled Book Buddies day at the ballpark. The Cardinals World Series Trophy will not be at Modern Woodmen Park but will return to the Mediacom Business Sports Lounge for the series finale Tuesday night. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at (563) 3-BANDIT and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

Check out the Quad Cities River Bandits Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from May 6, 2012


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