Bandits' Alvarez has second straight multi-hit game, Hernandez runs hitting streak to eight games
EASTLAKE, Ohio (JULY 21, 2013) - Every player in the Lake County Captains started lineup had a hit Sunday night, highlighted by a three-hit game from center fielder Logan Vick and a two-run home run by left fielder Todd Hankins in the home team's 7-3 victory over the Quad Cities River Bandits at Classic Park.
Quad Cities (15-13 second half, 53-44 overall) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning against Captains right-hander Luis Morel. River Bandits center fielder Teoscar Hernandez reached on an error by Captains second baseman Yhoxian Medina, went to second base on second baseman Austin Elkins' sacrifice, and to third on shortstop Carlos Correa's single. When Correa tried stealing second, catcher Eric Haase threw him out, but that allowed Hernandez to score. Morel only allowed runners on an error and walk in the rest of his four-inning start.
In his first Midwest League start since May 4, River Bandits left-hander Joe Bircher (1-1) issued a leadoff walk and back-to-back singles to start the first inning. On the second hit, however, left fielder Jesse Wierzbicki threw to third baseman Rio Ruiz, who relayed the ball to catcher Luis Alvarez to put out Hankins on the way to home plate. Despite being knocked on his backside by Hankins, Alvarez quickly got up and threw to Correa at third base, and he fired to Elkins at second to catch baserunner Dorssys Paulino for a 7-5-2-6-4 double play.
Bircher scattered five hits in the first three innings, but Lake County (15-14, 38-58) broke through in the fourth inning. Designated hitter Jeremy Lucas hit a one-out double, and right fielder Jorge Martinez brought in the tying run with an RBI dobule to right field. Medina provided the go-ahead hit with a single to center field, and Hankins followed with a drive down the left-field line for a 4-1 margin.
After walking the first two batters of the fifth inning, Bircher was removed for right-hander Jamaine Cotton, who allowed the inherited runners to score on a double by third baseman Erik Gonzalez and a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Jeremy Lucas. Both runs were charged to Bircher, who allowed six earned runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out four batters in four-plus innings.
Following Morel, Captains right-hander Felix Sterling (3-4) started the fifth inning and allowed two hits in both the fifth and sixth innings. Quad Cities scored in the sixth, when Elkins hit a leadoff single, went to third base on designated hitter Bobby Borchering's double and scored on Wierzbicki's groundout. In the seventh, Captains right-hander Jimmy Stokes allowed a leadoff single by right fielder Dan Gulbransen, who scored on first baseman Jobduan Morales' groundout. Hernandez singled with Alvarez at second base, but the latter was thrown out at home. Trailing 6-3, Quad Cities brought Correa to the plate as the tying run with two outs, but he grounded into a fielder's choice. Lake County added a seventh-inning run against right-hander Gera Sanchez, and right-hander Benny Suarez finished the Captains relief effort with two scoreless innings.
The River Bandits play the series finale in Lake County at 10:00 a.m. Central Time Monday. River Bandits left-hander Colton Cain (4-5) will face Captains right-hander Dylan Baker (6-5).
UP NEXT: Modern Woodmen Park is a nominee for the "Best Minor League Ballpark" in the 2013 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, and fans can vote once per day at 10Best.com until the winner is announced Aug. 14. The River Bandits return to Modern Woodmen Park Tuesday, July 30. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.
