MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Bandits' right-hander takes no-hitter into the eighth

Published on July 4, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


Arquimedes Nieto was magnificent on Saturday evening, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning before a two-run homer by Angel Castillo sent the Quad Cities River Bandits to a 2-0 loss against the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The Fourth of July ballgame proved to be a thriller, as Quad Cities (4-5, 34-45) and Cedar Rapids (7-2, 47-32) each got dominating performances by their starting pitchers and the game remained scoreless into the bottom of the eighth inning.

Nieto (1-7) stole the show despite eventually suffering the tough-luck loss. The 20-year-old changeup specialist from Panama lasted into the eighth inning before allowing a hit, setting career highs with 7.1 innings pitched and seven strikeouts. He walked three batters and gave up just one hit, a towering home run by Castillo that hooked just inside the left field foul pole and proved to be the last pitch he would throw. Nieto kept the Kernels' lineup off balance all evening long, repeatedly inducing awkward contact and lazy bounce outs.

The bottom of the eighth inning began with a walk to Gabe Jacobo, and Matt Crawford moved pinch-runner Dwayne Bailey into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. That is when Castillo stepped to the plate, breaking up the no-hitter, the shutout and the scoreless tie with his game-winning blast down the left field line.

Kevin Nabors (2-3) earned the win, tossing two scoreless innings to complete the Kernels' four-hit shutout. The righty worked around a leadoff double in the eighth, stranding the runner at third to preserve what was a scoreless tie at the time. Although he allowed a one-out single in the ninth, he also struck out the side to clinch the win.

Cedar Rapids starter Tyler Chatwood did not figure into the decision, but the Kernels' 19-year-old flame-thrower dealt for six innings and allowed just two hits, two walks and no runs. Although he only struck out two batters, he recorded 11 outs on the ground and allowed a runner to reach scoring position just twice.

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Midwest League Stories from July 4, 2009


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