CLINTON, IOWA (April 25, 2019) — The Clinton LumberKings scored five runs over the final two-innings to turn a tie game into a series-opening 7-2 victory over the Quad Cities River Bandits on Thursday afternoon at Ashford University Field. The game was the final contest in a stretch of 19 consecutive games away from Modern Woodmen Park for the River Bandits to open the season.
The River Bandits jumped in front in the early going against Clinton starting-pitcher Peyton Culbertson. David Hensley stayed back and hooked a breaking-ball off the wall in left-field for a leadoff double. He would move to third on a single from Jonathan Lacroix in the ensuing at-bat. The next hitter, Alex Holderbach, rolled into a double-play with Hensley scoring from third on the play for a 1-0 lead.
Quad Cities (10-9) starter Brett Conine maintained that advantage until the fifth inning. LumberKings catcher Will Banfield opened that frame with a ground-ball double down the third base-line. Bubba Hollins reached base with an infield single up the middle, leaving men on the corners with no outs. The LumberKings evened the score on a Marcos Rivera base-hit to left. The ball rolled under the glove of Ross Adolph in left, but the left-fielder recovered and the Bandits cut down Hollins trying to score from first with a 7-6-2 relay to limit the damage.
Clinton (11-8) moved in front for the first time in the sixth. With two outs, Jerar Encarnacion doubled down the left field-line. When the throw to the infield bounced away, he was able to advance to third. He would end up scoring on a wild pitch to the backstop to give Clinton a 2-1 edge.
The Bandits used an unearned-run of their own to tie the game in the bottom-half of the sixth. Enmanuel Valdez singled with one out in the frame and was able to advance into scoring-position when Samuel Castro misplayed a groundball to second for an error. Valdez would tie the game but crossing the plate on a Holderbach base hit into left. The RBI was Holderbach’s first of the year.
Connor Scott put Clinton in front for good with his first home-run of the season, a two-run blast off of reliever Joey Gonzalez, in the eighth inning. Will Banfield added an RBI single to center later in the stanza to increase the margin to 5-2. RBI singles from Encarnacion and Sean Reynolds in the ninth did the final damage for the LumberKings.
Conine worked 6.0 innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits. The right-hander struck out nine to match his season-high. Gonzalez surrendered five runs, four earned, on five hits over 2.2 innings in his Bandits debut.
Hensley’s three hits paced the River Bandits offensively. He has collected seven hits in the last three games. The only other River Bandits with multiple hits was Holderbach who finished 2-4. The Bandits committed a season-high three errors in the contest.
The River Bandits will make their much-anticipated return to Modern Woodmen Park on Friday night for the team’s 2019 home opener at 6:35PM against the Clinton LumberKings. The Bandits will have RHP Cody Deason (0-1, 4.50) on the mound while Clinton counters with RHP Alberto Guerrero (1-0, 5.25). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive a 2019 River Bagnets magnet schedule. The game will be followed by a fireworks show presented by Smart Toyota of the Quad Cities.
Clinton (R-H-E): 7-13-1
Quad Cities (R-H-E): 2-9-3
Win: Jones (1-1)
Loss: Gonzalez (0-1)
Save:
HR: Clinton: Connor Scott (1, 8th inning, 1 on base)
HR: Quad Cities:
All River Bandits games are broadcast on 1170 K-BOB and TuneIn Radio. Home games are also available with video on MiLB.TV.
