MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Quad Cities Walks off with 5-4 Win in Series Finale

Published on May 26, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


DAVENPORT, Iowa - The Quad Cities River Bandits managed only four hits but walked off with a series finale win over the first-place Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, 5-4, and avoided being swept for the first time since May 2011 in front of 3,247 fans Friday night at Modern Woodmen Park on Iowa Army National Guard Night.

River Bandits catcher Casey Rasmus led off the ninth with a single to right field - the first by the River Bandits since the fourth inning. Shortstop Neal Pritchard put down a bunt in front of the pitcher's mound that Timber Rattlers right-hander Mark Williams (2-4) threw late to second. With runners at first and second, left fielder Roberto Reyes put a bunt down the third-base line that Williams fielded and threw past third baseman Brandon Macias, allowing Rasmus to score from second on the play for the third Quad Cities win in 11 games.

River Bandits left-hander Dail Villanueva allowed four straight hits, including three singles and a double, to open the game, and the first three Timber Rattlers came around to score. After the first inning, Villanueva threw five more innings, allowing just one unearned run that scored on Pritchard's first fielding error in the fifth. Villanueva walked only two batters while striking out a season-high nine batters.

Quad Cities (22-25) scored two runs in the bottom half of the first, when second baseman Luis Mateo and center fielder Nick Martini led off the inning with two walks. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch by Wisconsin starter Chad Thompson. Designated hitter Colin Walsh hit a sacrifice fly to right-center field that scored Mateo for his team-leading 29th RBI, which also tied a career-high. First baseman David Medina doubled to score Martini, bringing Quad Cities within 3-2.

Medina later tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a single to score third baseman Tyler Rahmatulla, who led off the inning with a double. Medina's RBI single was the last River Bandits hit until the ninth against Wisconsin (30-18).

After Pritchard's error gave Wisconsin a 4-3 lead in the fifth, Quad Cities tied the game on an unusual play in the sixth. With Medina at second base and right fielder Virgil Hill at first, Pritchard hit a soft ground ball to shortstop Yadiel Rivera, who tagged Medina before attempting a force out at second base. But Rivera's throw went into right field. Right fielder Max Walla then tried to throw out Hill advancing to third, but the ball ended up in the stands behind third base, allowing Hill to score the tying run and Pritchard to reach third.

River Bandits right-hander Ethan Cole and left-hander Danny Miranda (3-1) combined to throw three shutout innings, allowing only one hit - a leadoff single to Wisconsin catcher Rafael Neda in the ninth - while striking out four in relief of Villanueva.

River Bandits pitchers had a season-high 13 combined strikeouts, while the offense tied a season high set Thursday against Wisconsin with 13 strikeouts at the plate.

The River Bandits visit Cedar Rapids Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. to begin a five-game, four-day series that will include a Sunday doubleheader to make up the May 15 rainout at Modern Woodmen Park. Left-hander Hector Hernandez (3-3) will start for Quad Cities, while left-hander Eswarlin Jimenez (1-2) will start for the Kernels.

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Midwest League Stories from May 26, 2012


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