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MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Bandits Turn Tide Late to Tip Whitecaps

June 5, 2015 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. - With the Quad Cities River Bandits facing a 3-1 deficit in the eighth inning, right fielder Ryan Bottger hit a game-tying two-run single, and designated hitter Sean McMullen hit a ninth-inning, go-ahead RBI double to lead the visitors to a 4-3 win and series victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps at Fifth Third Ballpark Friday night.

Quad Cities (38-17) kept the best record in professional baseball and increased its lead to three game lead in the Midwest League Western Division over second-place Cedar Rapids (35-20), which lost in South Bend Friday night. The River Bandits' magic number (combination of Quad Cities wins and losses by the Western Division's third-place team) to clinch a first-half playoff spot is six.

The River Bandits scored first for the third straight game against West Michigan (27-28). Left fielder Jason Martin led off the game with a double to right-center field off Whitecaps right-hander Spenser Watkins. Catcher Jamie Ritchie's flyout to right field sent Martin to third base, and designated hitter Jacob Nottingham singled to left field to score Martin for a 1-0 lead. First baseman Nick Tanielu singled to center field to put runners at first and third bases, but Bottger grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Watkins settled in to retire 13 of 15 batters and finish five innings, allowing one earned run on five hits and no walks with three strikeouts. Following Watkins, left-hander Tyler Ford worked around a hit in both the sixth and seventh innings to strike out four batters in two scoreless innings. Quad Cities advanced two runners to second base - and none further - in the second through seventh innings.

River Bandits right-hander Joshua James held the 1-0 lead through the first five innings, stranding six Whitecaps base runners. He allowed his first hit with one out in the third inning, when shortstop Garrett Mattlage singled following a one-out walk to left fielder Austin Schotts. Center fielder Derek Hill singled to center field to load the bases with one out. But James struck out right fielder Ross Kivett and got designated hitter Mike Gerber to ground back to the pitcher's mound to end the inning. In the fourth inning, James allowed a leadoff walk to second baseman Joey Pankake and single to center field by first baseman Will Kengor. A sacrifice by third baseman Zach Shepherd advanced both runners, but James struck out catcher Shane Zeile and got Schotts to ground out to preserve a 1-0 River Bandits lead.

James began the sixth inning by walking Pankake again, and Kengor singled to left field, sending Pankake to third base. James then walked Shepherd on four pitches, with the final one wild past catcher Jamie Ritchie to bring Pankake to the plate for the tying run. Right-hander Aaron Greenwood relieved James, and Zeile put down a sacrifice to advance Kengor and Shepherd, before Schotts grounded a two-run single into center field for a 3-1 West Michigan lead. All three earned runs were charged to James, who allowed five hits and four walks with five strikeouts. Greenwood finished one full inning, allowing one hit.

Quad Cities' game-tying rally began in the eighth inning against left-hander Gabe Speier, with Ritchie drawing a one-out walk, and Nottingham reaching when Shepherd dropped a ground ball. McMullen pinch ran for Nottingham, as right-hander Johan Belisario (1-2) entered to walk first baseman Nick Tanielu. Bottger then lined a single to right-center field, with Ritchie and McMullen scoring to tie the game. In the ninth, Belisario walked Martin and Ritchie with one out, and McMullen hit an inside pitch one foot inside the right-field line to score Martin for a 4-3 lead. Belisario was charged with one earned run on two hits and four walks with one strikeout in one inning.

River Bandits right-hander Angel Heredia (2-0) struck out three batters in three hitless relief innings to finish the win. The Whitecaps only managed consecutive walks to start the eighth inning, but Heredia caught a bunt popup by Zeile before striking out Schotts and Mattlage.

The River Bandits begin their final series of a 10-game road stretch with the first of three games in South Bend, Ind., at 6:05 p.m. Central on Saturday. River Bandits right-hander Francis Martes (0-0) is scheduled to face Cubs right-hander Jeremy Null (5-1) in the series opener.

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