Bandits take series over Bees behind a 1-0 game two win
DAVENPORT, IA. – Chris Murphy was flawless, tossing a complete game, seven-inning shutout, in game two of the doubleheader between the Quad Cities River Bandits and Burlington Bees on Wednesday night at Modern Woodmen Park. The Bandits took the series with a 1-0 victory in game two after a comeback attempt fell short in a 6-5 loss to the Bees in game one.
The River Bandits (14-18) jumped ahead early on Burlington (13-19) in game one with runs in the first and second innings. Johnny Sewald singled to lead off the first and three walks, including a bases loaded walk from Dexture McCall would score him to give Quad Cities a 1-0 advantage. Christian Correa led off the second with a walk and scored on an RBI-single from Sewald to put the Bandits ahead by two.
The Bees answered in the top of the third. Angel Genoa led off with an infield single and Juan Moreno knocked a one-out base hit. Brendon Sanger scored Genoa with a single. Jared Foster drove in Moreno with a base hit and Michael Pierson followed with a run-scoring single to give Burlington a 3-2 lead.
Quad Cities tied game one, 3-3, with a run in the fourth. Antonio Nunez knocked a two-out single and was driven in thanks to a Kyle Tucker RBI-double.
Hutton Moyer broke the tie in the fifth inning. The infielder knocked a solo-homer, his third of the year, to put the Bees on top 4-3.
Burlington retook the lead in the sixth inning. Jordan Serena worked a leadoff single and Genoa drove him in with a triple. Moreno reached on a fielding error by Aaron Mizell, allowing Genoa to cross the plate and give the Bees a 6-3 advantage.
The Bandits fell just short in their comeback attempt in game one. Tucker started the bottom of the seventh with a single. Pat Porter laced a triple to score Tucker and McCall grounded out to plate Porter and make it a one-run contest. Mizell came to plate as the tying-run, but flied out to end game one and give the Bees the 6-5 victory.
Jose Rodriguez (2-2) earned the win for Burlington, giving up three runs on six hits over five innings. The righty walked five and struck out five in the victory. Jose Hernandez took the loss over five innings of work. The right-hander gave up four runs on seven hits. Adam Hofackit earned a two-inning save, giving up two runs but holding off the Bandits.
Murphy (3-2) brought the good stuff in game two for the Bandits. Quad Cities only scored one run, but that was all Murphy would need. The righty gave up four hits while tossing all seven innings for a complete game shutout.
The Bandits scored the only run of game two early. Sewald led off the bottom of the first with a double to right. Nunez moved Sewald to third with a sacrifice bunt and Anthony Hermelyn gave the Bandits a 1-0 lead with a triple off the right-center wall.
Three of the seven innings Murphy worked were in 1-2-3 fashion, including the seventh frame. The righty got Jared Foster and Michael Pierson to pop out before Serena groundout to end the game and give Murphy the complete game shutout.
Luis Pena (0-3) took the loss, allowing the lone run over three innings of action. The right-hander gave up two hits while striking out four in the losing effort.
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