Sports stats

MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Laureano's Blast Beats Fireworks, Chiefs

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


PEORIA, Ill. - Quad Cities River Bandits outfielder Ramon Laureano hit a three-run, go-ahead home run in the top of the 11th inning, two minutes before a Fourth of July fireworks show began over the Illinois River in downtown Peoria beyond the first-base side of Dozer Park, and with fireworks continuing, the visitors won an 8-5, 11-inning final over the Peoria Chiefs Saturday night.

Shortstop Alex Bregman and All-Star third baseman Nick Tanielu each had three hits to help the River Bandits (7-3 second half, 52-26 overall) win their third straight game and move 26 games above .500 for the first time since finishing 28 games above .500 (83-55) in 2010. Among the affiliates of all 30 major league organizations, only the Houston Astros Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks (53-26 in the Texas League) had a better record than Quad Cities through Saturday. The River Bandits won for the 10th time in 13 games this season against Peoria (3-7, 36-42) and has not trailed in the first three games of the current series with the Chiefs.

Quad Cities took its first lead in the second inning against Chiefs left-hander Dewin Perez. Designated hitter Trent Woodward singled to left field with one out, and center fielder Bobby Boyd drew the first of his career-high three walks. With two outs, All-Star catcher Jamie Ritchie drew his Midwest League-leading 66th walk to load the bases, and Bregman laced a two-run double down the left-field line for a 2-0 lead. Peoria immediately tied the game in the next half-inning against River Bandits right-hander Christian Powell. First baseman Adam Ehrlich and left fielder Kenny Peoples-Walls hit consecutive one-out singles, and center fielder Jhohan Acevedo walked to load the bases before second baseman Darren Seferina lined a two-run, game-tying single to left field.

In a 2-2 tie in the top of the third inning, Laureano doubled to left field to extend his career-high nine-game hitting streak. Third baseman Kristian Trompiz and Woodward both drew walks to load the bases, and Boyd grounded a two-run double down the first-base line to make it 4-2. Perez walked second baseman Luis Reynoso to reload the bases, and right-hander Cody Schumacher entered to allow Ritchie's sacrifice fly to right field for a 5-2 margin. Perez allowed five earned runs on six hits and five walks with one strikeout in 2 1/3 innings.

The Chiefs rallied within 5-4 against Powell in the fifth inning. Powell hit designated hitter Andrew Sohn, shortstop Oscar Mercado singled, and right fielder Nick Thompson doubled off the left-center field wall to score two runs. Powell preserved the lead with a strikeout, groundout and lineout to finish five innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

Following Powell, right-hander Jorge Perez kept the 5-4 lead by stranding two runners in the sixth inning, but in the eighth inning, the Chiefs evened the score and had their best chance to take the lead. Perez hit Acevedo with one out, Seferina reached on Trompiz's error at second base, and Sohn lined a game-tying double to left field, ending Perez's outing after allowing one earned run on four hits with two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. Right-hander Angel Heredia (3-1) entered with one out, the infield in and runners at second and third bases in a 5-5 tie. Mercado lined a 3-2 pitch to Bregman, who threw to All-Star third baseman Nick Tanielu to double off Seferina and end the inning with the tie. Heredia allowed one walk in the final 3 2/3 hitless innings and has not allowed a hit in his last nine innings since June 20.

The pivotal top of the 11th inning began with Bregman walking against right-hander Robby Rowland (2-3) and Tanielu hitting a single to left field. Bregman ran to third base on the play, drawing a throw that allowed Tanielu to reach second base. With the infield in, Rowland struck out Bottger before Laureano set a career high of three RBIs with one swing that sent a drive to the berm beyond the left-field fence.

The River Bandits play their final regular season game at Dozer Park and finish their four-game, split-city series with Peoria at 2 p.m. Sunday, when River Bandits right-hander Brandon McNitt (1-2) is scheduled to face Chiefs All-Star right-hander Luis Perdomo (3-7).

Check out the Quad Cities River Bandits Statistics



Midwest League Stories from July 5, 2015


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



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central