19
Aug
2014
Fourth crowd of at least 7,000 this season sees Quad Cities snap four-game losing streak
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 16, 2014) - Quad Cities first baseman Chase McDonald had a career-high four hits Saturday night, and the River Bandits combined for 12 hits - their best total in a game this month - in a 7-6 victory over the Burlington Bees that snapped a four-game losing streak in front of 7,089 at Modern Woodmen Park.
In a rematch of right-handers who crafted a 4-0 pitchers' duel on the same field 11 days earlier, Quad Cities' Michael Feliz and Burlington's Victor Alcantara each gave up early runs and lasted five innings without factoring into the decisions. After the starters and their reliever counterparts combined for 27 strikeouts without a single walk Aug. 5, the teams combined for nine walks and 14 strikeouts Saturday.
The Bees (25-29 second half, 63-60 overall) took the lead in the first inning against Feliz. After going 13 innings over his last two starts without allowing a walk, Feliz began the game with four straight balls to Bees center fielder Bo Way. Bees second baseman Kody Eaves singled before a fielder's choice put runners at first and third bases with one out. First baseman Eric Aguilera flied to center field to score Way - the first run off Feliz in the last 12 1/3 innings he had pitched against Burlington. Feliz walked Bees catcher Stephen McGee to open the second inning, and he scored after a bunt single by designated hitter Ismael Dionicio, fielder's choice and wild pitch for a 2-0 Bees lead.
Quad Cities (26-28, 61-62) fought back against Alcantara in the second inning. Third baseman J.D. Davis hit a leadoff single to right field, and went to second base on right fielder Marc Wik's sacrifice. A passed ball and infield single by left fielder Ryan Bottger scored Davis. Catcher Brian Holberton walked, and shortstop Dayne Parker bounced a game-tying single to right field. After center fielder Bobby Boyd reached on a fielder's choice and stole second base, right fielder James Ramsay walked to load the bases. McDonald lined a go-ahead RBI single to left field, and designated hitter A.J. Reed hit an RBI single to make it 4-2, but Ramsay was thrown out at home, ending the inning.
Feliz kept the two-run lead until a fourth-inning, two-out single, walk and RBI single by shortstop Erick Salcedo to cut the lead to 4-3. He retired the next four batters to finish five innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Alcantara scattered a walk and hit in the rest of his five innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and three walks with two strikeouts.
Right-hander Frederick Tiburcio (2-3) began the sixth inning with a 4-3 lead but walked McGee with one out and allowed a double by left fielder Trevor Gretzky that put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. Dionicio hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game, 4-4. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Bees right-hander Ronnie Muck walked Holberton, who went to second base on Parker's groundout. Boyd walked, and Ramsay reached when Eaves mishandled a grounder, allowing the go-ahead run to score. McDonald added an RBI single to left field, and Davis hit a two-out double to the right-field corner to extend the 7-4 lead.
Tiburcio allowed consecutive hits to start the seventh inning and threw a wild pitch to put two runners in scoring position.
Left-hander Chris Cotton allowed a groundout and single to score the runs but struck out McGee with the tying run at second base. Cotton then retired all six batters in the eighth and ninth innings to earn his second Midwest League save with 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Quad Cities plays the rubber match of its series against Burlington at 1:15 p.m. Sunday. River Bandits right-hander Adrian Houser (5-5) is scheduled to face Bees left-hander Sean Newcomb (0-0), the Los Angeles Angels' first-round pick in this June's First-Year Player Draft.
UP NEXT: Sunday's 1:15 p.m. game is a Celebration and Appreciation of Senator Tom Harkin for 40 years of service with a bobblehead giveaway for the first 1,000 fans when gates open at noon. It's also Pirates and Princesses Day, and a Family Sunday presented by KWQC and B100 with pregame autographs, Bark in the Park and Kids Run the Bases. Sunday, Aug. 24, kicks off the final six-game homesetand of the season. Tickets are available at www.riverbandits.com.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: Having just been named Ballpark Digest's winner of Best Ballpark Improvement in America under $1 million, the River Bandits ownership recently made one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 105 feet over the playing field, opened May 24, and Space Camp opened June 20; the newly expanded 300-foot long zip line has also reopened. In 2013, the team unveiled a new 220-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. Last season, the team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The River Bandits were one of three affiliates to reach the championship round and one of two to win their league championship.
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