
Holderbach's Home Run Caps Wild 7-6 Win in Bandits Home Opener
April 27, 2019 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release
Davenport, IA - The Quad Cities River Bandits waited a long time to play their first home game of 2019. The conclusion to their home-opener turned out to be well worth the wait as Alex Holderbach's walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the 12th inning gave the River Bandits a 7-6 victory over the Clinton LumberKings on Friday night at Modern Woodmen Park.
The River Bandits (11-9) entered the bottom of the final inning trailing 6-4 after Clinton scored a pair of runs in the top of the 12th on a two-RBI double down the third base line by Jerar Encarnacion. The LumberKings eventually loaded the bases with no outs, but Devin Conn worked out of trouble to keep the deficit at two.
That set the stage for Holderbach's heroics. With Enmanuel Valdez beginning the frame at second base, David Hensley scored him with an RBI single to center to pull the Bandits within one. In the next at back, Holderbach hammered an offering from reliever Tyler Mitzel onto the berm behind the left field wall to spark a wild celebration at home plate. The home run was the catcher's first of the season.
Clinton (11-9) needed their own dramatic long ball to force extra innings in the first place. The River Bandits owned a 3-2 advantage entering the ninth inning as Humberto Castellanos entered from the bullpen looking to close out the game. Thomas Jones quickly did away with those thoughts by lining the first pitch he saw over the left field fence to tie the game. Neither team was able to push across a run in the 10th inning and both teams scored one in the 11th.
The Bandits had built an early 3-0 lead with two unearned runs in the bottom of the first and an RBI single by Austin Dennis in the third. Clinton pulled within one in the fourth by virtue of a Ricardo Cespedes two-run single.
Marty Costed led the Bandits with three hits. Scott Schreiber and Holderbach also tallied multiple hits, finishing with two each. Cespedes led the LumberKings with three hits and three RBI.
Four River Bandits pitchers combined to compile a season-high 21 strikeouts. That total pushed the team back into the Midwest League lead in that category. The River Bandits also set their previous high of 20 against Clinton. The Bandits have now reached double-digit strikeouts in 18 of their 20 games this season.
The series continues with a day/night doubleheader on Saturday with the first game beginning at 12:00 p.m. and the nightcap scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Both games are slated to be seven innings in length. The Bandits will hand the ball to RHP Luis Garcia (0-0, 3.46) in game one and RHP Brett Daniels (0-1, 3.86) in the second. Clinton has RHP Chris Vallimont (0-1, 1.23) lined for the opener and RHP Albert Guerrero (1-0, 5.25) scheduled for the late game. No admission will be charged for the 12:00 p.m. game.
All River Bandits games are broadcast on 1170 K-BOB and TuneIn Radio. Home games are also available with video on MiLB.TV.
Midwest League Stories from April 27, 2019
- Hollis' Two Home Runs Power Hot Rods to 5-3 Win - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Hollis HRs Hand Lugs Loss, 5-3 - Lansing Lugnuts
- Late Rally Sinks 'Caps - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Captains Claw Back in Ninth - Lake County Captains
- Five-Run First Inning Spurs 8-6 Bees Victory - Burlington Bees
- Slow Start Dooms Rattlers Against Bees - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Hot Rods Game Notes - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- LHP Jonathan Bermudez transferred from extended spring training to Quad Cities - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Bandits Saturday Game Cancelled - Quad Cities River Bandits
- LumberKings Return Home to Face the East - Clinton LumberKings
- Jose Martinez activated from 7-day Injured List - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- TinCaps Postponed by Inclement Weather in South Bend - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Cubs and TinCaps Postponed Saturday - South Bend Cubs
- Chiefs Snowed out Saturday - Peoria Chiefs
- Tonight's Game Postponed Until Tomorrow - Beloit Sky Carp
- Dragons Notes for Saturday - Dayton Dragons
- Mix of Rain and Snow Forces Doubleheader on Sunday, April 28 - Kane County Cougars
- Saturday Matinee Postponed at Kane County - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Timber Rattlers Sweep Bees in Series-Opening Twinbill - Burlington Bees
- First Game of Saturday Doubleheader Postponed - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Holderbach's Home Run Caps Wild 7-6 Win in Bandits Home Opener - Quad Cities River Bandits
- LumberKings suffer 12th inning walk-off loss 7-6 - Clinton LumberKings
- Gorman, Whalen Homer Twice as Chiefs Sweep Friday DH - Peoria Chiefs
- Whitecaps Worn Down by Captains - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Snappers fall in both games of doubleheader - Beloit Sky Carp
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Quad Cities River Bandits Stories
- Quad Cities, Peoria Washed out Wednesday
- Bullpen Secures Bandits' Series-Clinching Win over Cubs
- Frederick Draws Ball Four, Bandits Walk-off Cubs in Extras
- Bandits' Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short in Loss to Cubs
- Charles, Bullpen Lift Quad Cities to Victory in Pitcher's Duel

