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MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Heartbreak Hotel: Bandits Lose In 11

July 6, 2009 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


The Quad Cities River Bandits dropped a third consecutive heartbreaker on Monday night, rallying to tie the score in the ninth inning only to watch their hard work slip away in a 5-4, 11-inning loss to the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

After the valiant late rally, Quad Cities (4-7, 34-47) stranded seven runners over the final three innings before a two-out single by Anel De Los Santos lifted the Kernels to victory in the 11th. Cedar Rapids (9-2, 49-32) has won the first three games of the four-game set by overcoming 7.1 innings of no-hit baseball on Saturday, benefitting from a crucial late error on Sunday, and outlasting the River Bandits for the marathon win on Monday.

Quad Cities entered the ninth trailing 4-3 and had not scored a run since the third inning, but forced the game into extra innings with a game-tying rally. Jason Stidham fought a ball off his fists for a single to center to start the rally and advanced to second when a blooper by Jon Edwards eluded a diving Matt Crawford in left field. Later in the inning, the bases were loaded with two outs when Jose Garcia battled to a full count and eventually drew a walk to force in the game-tying run and even the score at 4-4.

After leaving the bases loaded in the ninth, however, the River Bandits were unable to convert on two more opportunities in the extra frames. There were men at the corners with nobody out in the 10th when Jarred Bogany hit what appeared to be a go-ahead single to right. But the low line drive hit baserunner Roberto Espinoza in the foot, causing a dead ball situation that marked the second out of the inning and forced Matt Carpenter to remain at third base. Travis Mitchell then struck out looking as the score remained tied.

After a leadoff single in the top of the 11th ended up stranded at second, Quad Cities was out of chances.

The bottom of the decisive frame began with two consecutive walks issued by Dave Carpenter, and a one-out single by Matt Crawford loaded the bases. Carpenter responded by painting the outside corner with a curveball to strike out Dwayne Bailey looking. But with the bases loaded and two outs, De Los Santos drove an 0-1 liner to right-center to score the game-winner. As the Kernels spilled out of the dugout to meet their hero at second base, the River Bandits walked off the field with a 5-4 loss.

Chris Armstrong (2-1) earned the win out of the bullpen, working around a leadoff single in the 11th to toss one scoreless inning. Carpenter (4-3) suffered the loss for Quad Cities, though he was nearly able to work around a pair of walks to start the final frame.

The late drama was fitting given the way the two clubs went back and forth during regulation.

Quad Cities fell behind early, as an error in the bottom of the first led to a Kernels run. Alexi Amarista singled with one out and advanced to second on a base hit by Roberto Lopez, but when Mitchel bobbled the ball in center Amarista was able to take third. As a result, a groundout to the right side by Beau Brooks scored the runner as Cedar Rapids took a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the third, however, Mitchell made up for the defensive miscue by sparking a rally with a leadoff single. Frederick Parejo followed with a double that short-hopped the base of the wall in left, while Mitchell scored all the way from first on a bang-bang play at the plate in which the catcher dropped the ball after applying the tag. One batter later Alex Castellanos added a run-scoring double down the third base line, eventually coming around to score on Charlie Cutler's sacrifice fly to give the River Bandits a 3-1 advantage.

But over the ensuing innings, the Kernels used a pair of home runs to recapture the lead. Brooks turned on a 3-2 pitch from Scott McGregor leading off the fourth, as four of his five longballs this season have come against Quad Cities pitching. In the fifth, Amarista spoiled Nick McCully's professional debut by blasting a two-out, two-run homer on the first pitch he saw. Suddenly, Cedar Rapids was back out in front, 4-3.

UP NEXT: The River Bandits complete their four-game road series against the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. and return to Modern Woodmen Park for a six-game homestand against the Lansing Lugnuts and Clinton LumberKings beginning on Wednesday. It starts with the Optimists Youth Appreciation Night, featuring Halloween in July as well as a Rhythm City Casino Guaranteed Prize WINS-day. The first 2,000 fans to Thursday's ballgame will receive President Barack Obama bobblehead dolls while everybody will enjoy $2 draft beer and fountain Pepsi products on a Thirst-day Thursday that will pay tribute to the hit sitcom, The Office. A Fireworks Friday follows with an appearance from Chicago Bears great and Hall of Famer Gale Sayers. A bobblehead doll featuring Steve Dillard, Quad Cities' all-time winningest manager, will be handed out on Saturday courtesy of Mel Foster agent Keith A. Allborty, and the Rockin' Saturday also includes a post-game concert by Elvis Himselvis on Elvis Night! Fans arriving early to Sunday's game will receive the 2009 River Bandits Team Poster thanks to Swiss Valley Farms on another Tailz 'Er Waggin' Dog Day of Summer, also a U.S. Bank Family Sunday. Lastly, the homestand concludes with a special 1:00 p.m. start time on Monday, a Summer Camp Day and Harry Potter Day!

ABOUT THE BANDITS: The Quad Cities River Bandits drew more than 103,000 fans in the first half of the season for only the third time in team history. Ticket sales, concessions, merchandise sales, sponsorships and even Kids' Zone revenues are all up over last season, which was one of the team's best in history! Banditwear, mini-plans, and individual game tickets are on sale for the 2009 season by calling (563) 3-BANDIT or heading to www.RiverBandits.com. But hurry - good seats are going fast!

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