BANDITS ADVANCE TO MIDWEST LEAGUE FINALS
Quad Cities reaches MWL Finals for 12th time in franchise history
 
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Quad Cities River Bandits got an early lead and dominating effort from Kit Scheetz in a 6-1 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels Monday at Veterans Memorial Stadium to advance to the Midwest League Championship Series. By winning the decisive game three Monday, Quad Cities reaches the finals for the twelfth time in franchise history.
 
Josh Rojas clubbed a three-run double in the first inning to give the Bandits (4-2, 79-59) an early lead. Rojas would later score on a sacrifice fly from Bryan De La Cruz in the fourth inning to add to that advantage.
 
That was plenty of offense for Scheetz, who allowed one run on three hits and a walk while striking out a career-high nine batters. Scheetz (1-0) went 6.2 innings and at one point retired 13 straight Kernels (4-3, 75-65). He didn't allow a run until the seventh when a solo home run from Aaron Whitefield got the Kernels on the board.
 
Quad Cities got two insurance runs in the ninth on RBI singles from Chuckie Robinson and Kristian Trompiz. Salvador Montano and Robert Corniel combined for 2.1 scoreless innings of relief to close out the game.
 
Quad Cities reaches the Midwest League Championship Series for the first time since 2013, when the team won their sixth league title. The Bandits will face the Fort Wayne TinCaps at Parkview Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana in the first two games of the best-of-five finals. The Bandits will have home field advantage and get as many of the final three games that are necessary at Modern Woodmen Park.
 
For playoff ticket information, start times and probable pitchers, stay tuned to River Bandits social media and the team website as information becomes available. Game one on Wednesday will be live with Jake Levy on 1170 AM K-BOB, riverbandits.com and the TuneIn app.
 
 
BANDITS FALL SHORT SUNDAY, SERIES TIED
Quad Cities and Cedar Rapids in winner-take-all game three Monday
 
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa --  The Quad Cities River Bandits comeback fell short Sunday in a 7-4 loss to the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Chas McCormick had three hits and an RBI in the game while Nathan Thompson pitched three shutout innings of relief for Quad Cities. With the Western Division Championship Series now tied at 1-1, a decisive game three will take place Monday with a trip to the Midwest League Championship Series on the line.
 
All four of the Bandits (3-2, 79-59) runs scored in the sixth inning after Cedar Rapids (3-1, 75-65) rattled off the first seven runs of the game. Bryan De La Cruz, McCormick, and Colin Moran had consecutive RBI hits with two outs in the sixth, but the Bandits stranded the bases loaded in the inning.
 
Cedar Rapids got a two-run home run by Shane Carrier in the second inning as part of a three-run frame to open the scoring. Travis Blankenhorn then homered to lead off the third inning. Ronel Blanco (0-1) gave up both homers and allowed four runs over 2.2 innings to suffer the loss. Charlie Barnes (1-0) earned the win with five scoreless innings, scattering five hits and three walks. Hector Lujan worked around a lead-off double by Moran in the ninth to earn his third save of the post-season.
 
The Kernels got insurance with three runs in the fifth, which would prove to be the difference. Lewin Diaz and Caleb Hamilton knocked in runs then a groundout by Shane Kennedy allowed a third run to score. Lucas Williams finished off the third inning on the mound and tossed a scoreless fourth before running into the trouble in the fifth. He did retire three in a row to get out of the fifth on his own, but the damage was done. Thompson took over in the sixth and allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out five in three scoreless innings. He ended his day by striking out the side in order in the eighth.
 
BANDITS WALK OFF WITH SERIES OPENER
Josh Rojas singles home tenth-inning winner to take series lead
 
DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The Quad Cities River Bandits walked off with game one of the Midwest League Western Division Championship Series, 5-4, over the Cedar Rapids Kernels Saturday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Josh Rojas singled home pinch-runner Luis Payano to give the Bandits the win in the tenth inning. 
 
Quad Cities (3-1, 79-59) rallied for four two-out runs in the seventh inning to tie the game. A bases loaded single from Bryan De La Cruz started the rally, scoring two runs, then Chas McCormick singled home a run before the Bandits tied it on a Kernels (2-1, 75-65) error by Royce Lewis. The Kernels scored all four of their runs in the second inning.
 
Yohan Ramirez took over on the mound in the second inning after the four-run frame and went 5.1 scoreless innings, keeping the Bandits within striking distance. Ramirez allowed just two hits and struck out six. With the game tied in the ninth and the bases loaded, Jesus Balaguer entered the game and struck out back-to-back batters to keep the game tied. Balaguer (1-0) also hurled a scoreless tenth to earn the win. Ryan Mason (0-1) got one out in the tenth before allowing the game-winning single by Rojas. 
 
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