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River Bandits end Rattler winning streak with ninth inning rally

April 25, 2009 - Midwest League (MWL) - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release

DAVENPORT, IA - The Quad Cities River Bandits scored twice in the ninth inning to complete a 9-8 come-from-behind victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Saturday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Niko Vasquez drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. The loss ended Wisconsin's four game winning streak.

The Timber Rattlers (7-7) scored twice in the second inning. Corey Kemp reached on an error to start the inning, Juan Sanchez lined a double down the line in left and Kemp scored from first. After an infield single by Erik Miller moved Sanchez to third, Shawn Zarraga knocked in Sanchez with a sacrifice fly to right.

An RBI grounder by Brock Kjeldgaard in the third inning made it 3-0 Rattlers.

Quad Cities (7-7) cut the Rattler lead to one in the bottom of the third. A sacrifice fly by Brett Lilley plated the first run. Rattler starter Michael Bowman appeared to be on his way out of the inning, but a two-out walk, a double, and another walk loaded the bases. Then, Bowman walked Charles Cutler to force in a run.

Wisconsin got one of those runs back in the top of the fourth. Erik Miller doubled to start the frame. Zarraga drove in Miller with a single for a 4-2 advantage.

Michael Marseco hustled home from second on throwing error to first after a Brett Lawrie grounder in the sixth to give Wisconsin a 5-2 lead. Then, walks finally caught up to the Rattlers.

Liam Ohlmann walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, but escaped without damage. However, Brian Meadows could not pull a similar escape act in the seventh. The first three Quad Cities hitters reached on a single, a walk, and another single. Meadows forced home a run by walking Alex Castellanos to make the score 5-3.

Meadows got the next batter, but Ryde Rodriguez put the Bandits in front 6-5 with a three-run double to left-center.

River Bandit pitcher George Brown retired the first two Rattlers he faced in the top of the eighth. But, his walks hurt him much more quickly. Cutter Dykstra and Michael Vass drew back-to-back two-out walks to set up Lawrie. The Rattler second baseman launched a 2-0 pitch from Miller over the fence in right for a three-run homer and an 8-6 Wisconsin lead.

Rattler reliever Kris Dabrowiecki made his professional debut in the bottom of the eighth inning and gave up a lead-off triple to Vasquez and an RBI single by Chris Swauger to see the lead drop to one run. But, the rookie out of Northeastern University got a 5-4-3 double play and -- after another walk -- a pop out to end the inning.

However, Dabrowiecki fell behind Domnit Bolivar 2-0 to lead off the bottom of the ninth. Then, Bolivar hit a game-tying homer to right-center.

Rodriguez followed with a single to put the winning run at first. Dabrowiecki got the second out, but issued one more walk -- the eleventh of the night by Wisconsin pitchers -- to push Rodriguez to second. Bolivar lined the next pitch to the wall in centerfield to drive in Rodriguez with the winning run.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Trey Watten (1-1, 2.45) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Quad Cities will send Adam Veres (1-0, 0.00) to the mound. Game time is 1:00pm.

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