MWL Quad Cities River Bandits

Bullpen Carries Quad Cities to Six Straight Wins

May 14, 2021 - Midwest League (MWL)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


Davenport, Iowa - Having emerged victorious in a pitcher's duel the night before, the Quad Cities River Bandits secured another one-run victory against the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Thursday, thanks to 12 strikeouts from their bullpen in a 5-4 win.

Despite a scoreless first inning, the first third of the game suggested a potential shootout as the Banidts and Kernels combined for all nine of their runs in the second and third innings.

Back-to-back two-out doubles from Trey Cabbage and Alex Isola got Cedar Rapids on the board first in the second and saw Quad Cities' starter Nolan Watson on the wrong side of a 1-0 game, but after Seuly Matias and Tyler Gentry reached to start the Bandits' half of the frame, Jimmy Govern slapped the leftfield wall with a game-tying double, before John Rave drew a bases-loaded walk against Tyler Watson to grab a 2-1 lead.

After N. Watson allowed the first four Kernels to reach in the top of the third, RBI singles from Matt Wallner and Trey Cabbage moved the visitors back out in front 4-2 before Matias scored on a T. Watson balk and Logan Porter tied the game with an run-scoring single of his own in the bottom half. Rave gave the Bandits the eventual winning run on an RBI double, his second of the year, that made the game 5-4.

With both starters out of the game in the fourth, the bullpens took centerstage and combined to allow just five base runners over the next five and a half innings.

For Cedar Rapids, a scoreless frame from Brandon Koch in his Kernels debut paved the way for Tyler Beck who didn't allow a Bandit on base and struck out six over four innings in his second appearance of the season.

The River Bandits bullpen was paced by Zach Haake (1-0), who not only earned his first win of the season, but in four innings of work, scattered a hit and two walks while punching out seven--including five in-a-row from the final out of the fourth through the first out of the sixth.

Adam Lukas (1) earned his first save of the season with two scoreless innings of his own and surrendered just one walk while striking out four before catching Wallner looking to secure the win in the top of the ninth.

The loss went to Jonathan Cheshire (0-1) after the righty allowed three earned in 1.1 innings pitched.

Quad Cities will look to win the series on Friday at Modern Woodmen Park behind Anthony Veneziano (0-0, 5.40), while the Kernels will counter with Kody Funderburk (0-0, 0.00) at 6:30 p.m. CDT.

Check out the Quad Cities River Bandits Statistics



Midwest League Stories from May 14, 2021


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