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River Bandits Keep Hot Streak against Kernels in 8-1 Win

August 16, 2012 - Midwest League (MWL) Quad Cities River Bandits

Quad Cities River Bandits third baseman Anthony Melchionda had a career-high four RBIs and hit his third home run in his last 10 games, and right fielder Nick Martini added three hits to help the visiting team win its eighth straight game over the Cedar Rapids Kernels with an 8-1 victory Thursday night at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The River Bandits won their 13th game over Cedar Rapids this season - the first time in 13 years the Quad Cities franchise has defeated the same team 13 times in a season. In 1999, the Quad City River Bandits, a Minnesota Twins affiliate, won 13 of 19 meetings with the Burlington Bees, at the time a Chicago White Sox affiliate.

Left-hander Dail Villanueva (9-6) let the Kernels load the bases with a hit and two walks in the bottom of the first inning but escaped the jam and kept Cedar Rapids off the scoreboard in the first five innings while the River Bandits offense built a 6-0 lead. Villanueva won his team-high ninth game by going 5 1/3 innings, in which he allowed six hits, one earned run and three walks with four strikeouts.

Quad Cities (25-27 second half, 60-61 overall) took a second-inning lead for the second straight game in Cedar Rapids, and it was shortstop Matt Williams who again provided the first RBI, as he tripled to deep center field to drive in first baseman David Medina, who had drawn a one-out walk. Williams then scored on an RBI single by Martini to make it 2-0. The River Bandits added a run in the third inning when center fielder Nick Longmire hit a leadoff single and advanced to third base on two wild pitches by right-hander Austin Wood (5-12). Longmire later scored when Melchionda hit into a fielder's choice.

In the top of the fifth inning, left fielder Colin Walsh drew a one-out walk, and designated hitter Stephen Piscotty hit an infield single to shortstop. Then Melchionda hit a three-run home run to left field - his fourth with the River Bandits - to open a 6-0 advantage against Wood, who suffered his team-high 12th loss by allowing six earned runs on six hits in five innings with four walks and five strikeouts.

Cedar Rapids (15-37, 47-75) got on the board with consecutive doubles by shortstop Eric Stamets and center fielder Andy Workman to start the sixth inning against Villanueva. The Kernels loaded the bases with one out to chase Villanueva, but right-hander Ethan Cole retired catcher Abel Baker on a fly out to center field and third baseman Trevor Hairgrove on a swinging strikeout. Cole allowed one hits and struck out three batters in 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, and right-hander Dixon Llorens tossed a perfect ninth inning.

The River Bandits extended the lead with two runs in the seventh inning, as Piscotty drove in a run with his first career triple and scored on an RBI double by Medina. Piscotty finished 2-for-3 with two runs. Walsh also scored twice for Quad Cities, which scored at least eight runs in consecutive games for the first time since the team scored 15 and 18 runs in back-to-back games at Burlington June 10-11.

The River Bandits and Kernels play their final game of the regular season Friday night at 6:35 p.m. in Cedar Rapids. Right-hander Boone Whiting (0-0) is scheduled to face Kernels right-hander Frank DeJiulio (4-4).

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Midwest League Stories from August 16, 2012


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