DAVENPORT, Iowa – The Quad Cities River Bandits fell 8-4 in 15 innings to the Burlington Bees in the longest game of the season on Monday night in front of 2,970 fans at Modern Woodmen Park. Burlington scored four runs in the 15th inning to take the lead in the marathon contest that lasted exactly five hours, ending as the clock struck midnight. Yoanys Quiala struck out a career-high eight batters in his start for Quad Cities while Myles Straw collected four hits for the Bandits in the losing effort.
Alexi Rivera led off the 15th frame with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice fly. Angelo Armendolare singled home Rivera to break a 4-4 tie. Later in the frame, Matt Thaiss doubled home two runs to add insurance and then scored on a double from Jordan Serena to cap off the four-run frame and send the Bees (24-20, 56-58) to an 8-4 win over Quad Cities (23-21, 54-59).
Quad Cities took an early lead with runs in the first and second innings. Stephen Wrenn tripled off the left-center wall and scored on a RBI-single from Kyle Tucker in the first. Kristian Trompiz cranked a solo-homer to lead off the second. His third long ball of the year gave the Bandits a 2-0 advantage.
Burlington tied the contest with a two-run fourth. Brendon Sanger led off with a single and Connor Justus worked a walk. Alexi Rivera singled home Sanger to cut the Bandit lead in half. Justus advanced to third base on a wild pitch and crossed the plate thanks to a sacrifice fly from Tanner Lubach to tie the game, 2-2.
The Bees jumped ahead in the top of the fifth. 2016 first round draft pick Matt Thaiss hammered a solo-homer, his second of the season and series, to put Burlington on top 3-2.
Quad Cities responded, taking back the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Bobby Wernes and Myles Straw notched singles and Stephen Wrenn reached on a fielder’s choice. A double-steal moved Straw to third and Wrenn to second base and a balk allowed Straw to score the tying-run. Dexture McCall pushed the Bandits in front, 4-3, with a RBI-single to score Wrenn.
A two-out rally by Burlington in the seventh tied the game. Thaiss started the rally with a single. The University of Virginia-product moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and scored on a single from Jordan Serena, tying the game 4-4.
Luis Pena allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out eight over 4.1 innings in a no decision start for the Bees. Traditional infielder Jared Walsh (1-1) tossed two innings in relief to earn his first professional win while striking out two and not allowing a run.
Quiala set a new career-high with eight strikeouts in a 5.2 inning start for Quad Cities. The Cuban allowed three runs on eight hits and walk while taking no decision. Adam Whitt (3-5) took the loss for Quad Cities, allowing four runs on four hits over two innings.
RHP Agapito Barrios makes his first appearance for Quad Cities this season on Tuesday night in the series finale. The Bees counter with RHP Jaime Barria (8-5, 3.56) in the 7:00 p.m. first pitch. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. and the first 500 fans will receive a River Bandits notebook for Back to School Night at Modern Woodmen Park. If you can’t make it to the park, you can catch the broadcast with Jake Levy and Lance Ragland, starting with the LLOYD Agencies Pregame Show at 1:00 p.m. on 1170 AM K-BOB, riverbandits.com and the TuneIn app.
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