Quad Cities maintains first place in the Western Division with a 10-3 record
PEORIA, Ill. (April 21, 2015) - With one out in the eighth inning of a game in which neither team had more than a one-run lead Tuesday night, Quad Cities River Bandits first baseman Jamie Ritchie hit a game-tying triple, and center fielder Derek Fisher hit a go-ahead single that proved to be the deciding run in a 4-3 win over the Peoria Chiefs at Dozer Park.
Beginning its second series in 15 days in Peoria, Quad Cities (10-3) won its fifth straight series opener to begin the season. The club continued its best start in five years to maintain first place in the Midwest League Western Division standings by one game over Cedar Rapids (9-4) and two over Peoria (8-5) and Burlington (8-5).
The River Bandits opened the scoring in the top of the second inning against Chiefs right-hander Luis Perdomo. Designated hitter Sean McMullen placed a bunt on the third-base side, and Perdomo overthrew first base, allowing McMullen to reach second base. Catcher Alfredo Gonzalez then singled to right field to score McMullen, before Perdomo struck out the next three batters to end the inning.
Peoria answered with a run in the bottom of the second inning against River Bandits left-hander Bryan Radziewski. Right fielder Collin Radack singled to right field and scored on a two-out triple to right-center field by catcher Luis Cruz. The Chiefs later took their first lead in the third inning, when third baseman Danny Diekroeger doubled down the left-field line with two outs and scored on designated hitter Nick Thompson's RBI single. Radziewski then worked around singles in the fourth and fifth innings to complete a career-high five innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts.
The River Bandits tied the game in the fourth inning against Perdomo. With one out, right fielder Ryan Bottger singled to right field, second baseman Kristian Trompiz singled to left field, and shortstop Thomas Lindauer walked to load the bases. Perdomo struck out left fielder Bobby Boyd but then walked Ritchie to force in the tying run. Perdomo then got Fisher to fly out to end the inning. It was the first of three times Quad Cities left the bases loaded on a night when the team left a season-high 15 runners on base.
Perdomo lasted 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs - one earned - on six hits and two walks with a career-high 10 strikeouts. Right-hander Blake McKnight followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings, working around one hit and two walks.
River Bandits right-hander Eric Peterson (1-0) began the bottom of the sixth inning in a 2-2 tie. Thompson hit a leadoff single to left field, and first baseman Alex DeLeon hit a one-out single to left field. Cruz then blooped a single over Trompiz into shallow center field, from where Fisher tried to throw out Thompson at third base. But the throw went past third baseman Nick Tanielu to foul territory, causing Thompson to run toward home plate. Tanielu threw to catcher Alfredo Gonzalez, but Thompson scored the go-ahead run for a 3-2 Peoria lead. Peterson retired the next five batters to complete two innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits with two strikeouts.
The pivotal eighth inning came against Chiefs right-hander Zach Loraine (0-2), who started his outing by getting Lindauer to open the inning with a popout. Boyd then drove a double off the right-field wall and went to third base on a wild pitch. With the infield in, Ritchie lined his first triple of the season down the first-base line to tie the game. With the infield in again, Fisher grounded a 3-2 pitch through the right side of the infield to score Ritchie. Loraine was removed after one-third of an inning, charged with two earned runs on three hits. Right-hander Kyle Grana entered to walk two batters to load the bases before escaping the inning, and he added a scoreless ninth inning.
River Bandits right-hander Jose Montero held the 4-3 lead by retiring all six batters in the eighth and ninth innings for his third save.
The River Bandits continue their series in Peoria at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Dozer Park. Right-hander Joe Musgrove (2-0) is scheduled to face Chiefs left-hander Austin Gomber (1-1), in a matchup of pitchers who had opposite decisions in the teams' April 10 meeting.
UP NEXT: Smart Toyota of the Quad Cities and WLLR present the first Friday Fireworks of the season following the 7 p.m. game Friday at Modern Woodmen Park. It is also Legends of Rock Night for the opener of the six-game, seven-day homestand. Individual tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office and online at riverbandits.com. Ticket plans of 12 to 70 games - which include free parking, reserved seats, merchandise discounts, and guaranteed giveaways - are available by calling 563-324-3000.
