MWL Quad Cities River Bandits

Cubs Stymie Bats in Bandits Second-Straight Loss

Published on April 8, 2023 under Midwest League (MWL)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


Davenport, Iowa - After being held to just one run on two hits on Saturday, the Quad Cities River Bandits fell the South Bends dropped the second of a three-game series against the South Bend Cubs 3-1 at Modern Woodmen Park.

Bandits starter William Fleming was saddled with the loss despite tossing 5.0 innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits while walking one and striking out a career-high eight. Tyler Santana picked up the win for South Bend with three scoreless innings of relief.

Despite working seven walks, Quad Cities was held without a hit until the eighth inning when center fielder Gavin Cross launched a two-out solo home run off reliever Carlos Guzman to get Quad Cities on the board, trailing 2-1. The homer was the first hit of the season for the Royals top prospect (MLB Pipeline).

Third Baseman Cayden Wallace followed Cross with an infield single and catcher Carter Jensen worked a six-pitch walk, but the rally was cut short after Guzman struck out Kale Emshoff to end the inning with both runners stranded.

On the mound for the Bandits, Fleming worked a perfect first inning, recording two strikeouts before running into trouble in the top of the second. The QC right-hander retired his first hitter faced via strikeout before allowing a one-out double, followed by a walk. Fleming managed to strikeout Cubs shortstop Kevin Made before allowing a two-run single to catcher Casey Opitz to put South Bend up 2-0.

With the exception of a two-out fielding error by Wallace, Fleming retired nine of the 10 batters he faced over the next three innings, ending his night striking out the side in the top of the fifth.

Luinder Avila pitched the final four innings for Quad Cities, allowing one earned run on three hits while walking none and striking out six. Avila retired the first ten hitters faced before surrendering a single to center fielder Kevin Alcantara and an RBI double to first baseman Haydn McGeary, giving the Cubs a 3-1 lead in the top of the ninth.

Guzman struck out Herard Gonzalez, Juan Carlos Negret, and Shervyen Newton in order in the bottom of the ninth to seal the Cubs 3-1 win and collect his first save of the season.

Offensively, the Bandits were shut down by Cubs pitching after starter Luke Little, Santana and Guzman combined for two hits, one earned run, seven walks and 12 strikeouts on the night.

The Bandits will look to pick up their first win of the season in the series finale against South Bend on Sunday. Right-hander Chandler Champlain will make his first start of the season for Quad Cities against Cubs righty Brandon Birdsell with first pitch set for 1pm at Modern Woodmen Park.

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