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Quad Cities River Bandits

Blasts and Bounces Help Bandits Beat Beloit

July 30, 2015 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


BELOIT, Wis. (July 29, 2015) - Quad Cities River Bandits designated hitter Ryan Bottger, left fielder Jason Martin and All-Star third baseman Nick Tanielu each homered in a four-run fifth inning, and right-handers Eric Peterson and Riley Ferrell combined for five scoreless relief innings in a 4-3 win over the Beloit Snappers at Pohlman Field Wednesday night.

Beloit catcher Argenis Raga missed a two-out wild pitch from right-hander Brett Graves (9-5) on a third strike that would have ended the fifth inning with a 1-1 tie. That opened the door for the first three-home run inning by Quad Cities (20-13 second half, 65-36 overall) since hitting three in the first inning of an 8-7 win at Bowling Green July 22, 2010. Raga later appeared to hit a game-tying double in the seventh inning, but the ball bounced over the fence for a ground-rule play to keep the tying run from scoring. That preserved the lead to help Quad Cities achieve its first three-game winning streak since July 4 and move 29 games above .500 for the first time since Sept. 5, 2010 (83-54).

For the second straight night, Beloit (14-18, 40-62) took a first-inning lead. Snappers center fielder James Harris and designated hitter Max Kuhn hit consecutive one-out singles to left field, and River Bandits right-hander Justin Ferrell walked All-Star first baseman Sandber Pimentel to load the bases. Catcher Argenis Raga then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field for a 1-0 Beloit lead.

Graves allowed one hit and two walks in the first four innings. In the fifth inning, Bottger led off by swatting an 0-1 pitch over the right-field wall for a game-tying solo home run - the first Graves had yielded in three starts against Quad Cities. In a 1-1 tie, Graves retired the next two batters before striking out center fielder Bobby Boyd, but the pitch eluded Raga toward foul territory on the first-base side, allowing Boyd to reach first base. Martin then launched a 2-1 pitch over the left-center field wall for an opposite-field home run - his eighth to lead all active River Bandits - and Tanielu followed by hitting a 2-1 pitch from Graves over the left-center field wall. Graves departed after allowing right fielder Drew Ferguson's single, extending his 10-game hitting streak - the longest active streak by a River Bandit. Graves allowed four earned runs on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Right-hander Carlos Navas entered to toss 2 1/3 innings of one-hit shutout relief, and right-hander Koby Gauna did not allow a hit or run in the final two innings.

The Snappers trimmed the deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning by putting the first five batters on base against Ferrell. Second baseman Jose Fernandez dropped a leadoff ground ball by right fielder Shawn Duinkerk, and second baseman Tim Proudfoot and left fielder Joe Bennie followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases. Ferrell then missed the strike zone on the next eight pitches, walking both Harris and Kuhn to force in two runs. With a 4-3 lead and the bases loaded with no outs, Peterson (6-4) struck out Pimentel on three pitches, got Raga to pop out to shallow right field, and put away third baseman Jose Brizuela on a foul popup to first base to keep the lead.

Peterson became Quad Cities' first six-game winner of the season by striking out a career-high five batters and matching a season and career high of three innings pitched. He struck out the side around a single in the sixth inning and kept the lead with help from a fortunate bounce in the seventh inning. Pimentel reached on a two-out bunt single against a shifted infield, before Raga struck a fly ball to deep left-center field, where the ball that could have scored Pimentel bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double, placing Pimentel at third base. Brizuela walked to load the bases before shortstop Mikey White hit a sharp ground ball that Fernandez fielded for an inning-ending forceout at second base. Ferrell allowed one walk and struck out two batters in two hitless innings for his first professional save.

Seeking their first series sweep since winning three straight games May 7-9 at home against Wisconsin, the River Bandits play the three-game series finale in Beloit at 7 p.m. Thursday. Right-hander Agapito Barrios is scheduled to make his Midwest League debut against Snappers right-hander Joey Wagman (4-2) in the last of nine road games in 10 days for Quad Cities.

UP NEXT: Sunday is Faith and Fellowship Night presented by Chick-fil-A and Moody Radio Quad Cities. Doors open at 3:15 p.m. for a special program on the suite level at 3:30 p.m., including music, speaker testimony and Baseball Chapel with the River Bandits. It is a Family Sunday, with the River Bandits signing autographs on the field at 4:30 p.m. before the 5:15 p.m. game. Kids Run the Bases postgame. 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.

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