MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Rahmatulla Is First River Bandit to Win Player of the Week

Published on June 11, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


DAVENPORT, Iowa (JUNE 11, 2012) - Quad Cities River Bandits infielder Tyler Rahmatulla has been named the Midwest League Player of the Week following his performance during the week of June 4-10, which included him tying the league single-game record with six hits - including two singles, two doubles and two home runs - in Sunday's 16-15, 11-inning loss at Burlington.

The 22-year-old Rahmatulla is the first River Bandit named Player of the Week since Oscar Taveras won the honor for Aug. 22-28, 2011.

In six games June 4-10, Rahmatulla went 10-for-24 - good for a .417 batting average - with two doubles, a triple and two home runs, while scoring six runs and driving in nine. On Sunday afternoon in Burlington, Rahmatulla homered in his first two at-bats, had seven RBIs and became the second Midwest League player with a six-hit game this season. Lansing's Kevin Pillar had six hits at Dayton May 12, becoming the first Midwest Leaguer with a six-hit game since Peoria's Travis Hanson on April 12, 2003.

The Quad Cities franchise had not had a six-hit game by any player since the start of the 1994 season. Rahmatulla's six hits, four extra-base hits, seven RBIs and 14 total bases were all career highs and season highs by a River Bandit. He was the fifth River Bandit this season with a multi-homer game and third to homer in consecutive at-bats.

With the six-hit game, Rahmatulla raised his batting average from .301 to a league-leading .327. He has a .543 slugging percentage that is second only to teammate Colin Walsh among the league leaders. Rahmatulla's six home runs are third-most on the team, and his 36 RBIs rank second.

Rahmatulla was named the rookie-level Appalachian League's Player of the Week last Aug. 8-15, when he went 12-for-24 with six doubles, two home runs and six RBIs for the Johnson City Cardinals, who won their second consecutive championship in 2011.

The St. Louis Cardinals' 34th-round draft pick in 2011 out of UCLA, Rahmatulla was an Appalachian League postseason all-star last season. He led the league with 27 doubles, was third in the league with 36 extra-base hits, tied for third with 49 runs scored, and was fourth with a .545 slugging percentage. He led Johnson City in hits (69), doubles, runs and batting average (.314). His batting average was fourth among St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, and he was second in the system with a .935 on-base-plus-slugging (OPS).

UP NEXT: The River Bandits return to Modern Woodmen Park on Tuesday, June 12, to begin a six-game home stand. The 7 p.m. game against the Kane County Cougars is Thrivent Night, which will feature skydivers and postgame fireworks presented by Pepsi, CBS4, WOC and Q106.5. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., and fans who bring an empty Mountain Dew can or bottle can exchange it for a free soda voucher. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at (563) 3-BANDIT and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

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Midwest League Stories from June 11, 2012


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