BROOKS MARLOW GOES YARD IN BANDITS LOSS
Kane County completes four-game sweep with 5-2 victory
DAVENPORT, IA. – The Quad Cities River Bandits fell down early and could not bounce back as the Kane County Cougars completed the four-game sweep with a 5-2 victory on Sunday afternoon in front of 2,795 fans at Modern Woodmen Park. Brooks Marlow led a comeback charge in the fifth with a leadoff home run, his first of the season.
The Cougars (7-3) scored three runs in the first two innings to take a 3-0 advantage over the River Bandits (2-9). Zach Nehrir scored off the bat of Joe Munoz in the first. The Cougars added two in the second as they collected five base hits in the frame.
The Cougars added to the lead in the fifth. Jason Morozowski worked a one-out walk and later scored as Raymel Flores collected a two-out single.
Marlow put the River Bandits on the board in the fifth as he connected for a solo homer, the seventh of his professional career, off of Kane County starter Junior Garcia. Quad Cities plated one more in the frame. Osvaldo Duarte knocked an RBI-double to score Dexture McCall and make it a 4-2 game.
Kane County scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Robelys Reyes reached on an infield single, stole second base, and scored off the bat of Nehrir to give the Cougars a 5-2 lead.
Junior Garcia (1-1) earned his first win of the season over five innings of action. The lefty allowed two runs on six hits while striking out six. Kevin McCanna (0-1) dropped the decision in a 3 2/3-inning effort for Quad Cities. The Rice University product struck out three but gave up three runs on ten hits.
The Bullpens were effective for both squads. Thome allowed one run in 3 2/3 innings. The right-hander gave up one hit and struck out two for the Bandits. Kane County’s Joel Payamps tossed two scoreless frames and Keegan Long picked up his third save with a perfect ninth inning.
The River Bandits hit the road for a seven-game trip through Wisconsin and Kane County starting Monday. LHP Alex Winkleman (1-0, 7.36) takes the mound for the River Bandits against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and RHP Marcos Diplan (1-1, 7.15) at 6:35 p.m. CT. Tune into the game on K-BOB 1170 AM in the Quad Cities and online at riverbandits.com or on the TuneIn app. Jake Levy will have the call, beginning with the Lloyd Agencies Pregame Show at 6:20 p.m.
****RIVER BANDITS COMEBACK FALLS SHORT AGAINST KANE COUNTY
Bandits plate four in the eighth, but lose 5-4
DAVENPORT, IA. – The Quad Cities River Bandits comeback bid came up just short on Saturday afternoon in a 5-4 loss to the Kane County Cougars in front of 2,174 fans at Modern Woodmen Park. Kane County scored all five runs in the fifth and the River Bandits cut into the lead with a four-run eighth inning. Daz Cameron collected his first multi-hit game of 2016, going 2-for-4 with a RBI.
Sebastian Kessay was dominant in his first two innings for Quad Cities (2-8), but fell flat in the third. After loading the bases with a walk and two single, he walked Robelys Reyes to score Kane County’s (6-3) first run. Zach Nehrir followed with a two-run double and Trevor Mitsui put two across with a single. Kessay gave way to Ryan Deemes who was able to get out of the inning, but the damage was done as the Cougars lead 5-0.
The River Bandits made a strong attempt at a comeback in the eighth inning. Quad Cities connected on four-straight hits, including RBI-knocks from Cameron, Osvaldo Duarte, and Anthony Hermelyn to plate four and cut the Kane County lead to one, 5-4.
The River Bandits put the tying-run 90 feet away in the bottom of the ninth when Brooks Marlow led off with a double and took third on a wild pitch.Cameron Gann battled back by striking out two and forcing Johnny Sewald to ground out to end the game. Gann earned his second save in as many days in the 5-4 victory for Kane County.
Justin Donatella (2-0) notched his second win of the season in a scoreless, six-inning performance. The right-hander gave up five hits, but struck out six for the Cougars. Kessay (0-2) dropped the decision over two-plus innings. Kessay gave up five runs on four hits.
Deemes made a strong relief appearance in a season-high, four-inning outing. The Louisiana-native allowed only two hits while striking out three.
The River Bandits close the series against Kane County Sunday afternoon as RHP Kevin McCanna (0-0) starts for Quad Cities at 1:15 p.m. CT. The Cougars counter with LHP Junior Garcia (0-1). If you cannot make it to Modern Woodmen Park, then watch the action on MiLB.TV or tune in on K-BOB 1170 AM in the Quad Cities and online at riverbandits.com or on the TuneIn app. Jake Levy and Lance Ragland will have the call, beginning with the Lloyd Agencies Pregame Show at 1:00 p.m.
****
HERNANDEZ SHUTS DOWN RIVER BANDITS
Kyle Tucker steals three bases, but Quad Cities gets two-hit
DAVENPORT, IA. – For the second straight night, one crooked inning cost the Quad Cities River Bandits, who mustered just two hits in a 4-1 loss to the Kane County Cougars Friday night in front of 2,512 fans at Modern Woodmen Park. The Bandits have now dropped all four home games this season and the first two of the four-game set with the Cougars. Kyle Tucker scored the Bandits only run and stole a career-high three bases in the loss.
The River Bandits (2-7) could hardly touch Kane County (5-3) starter Carlos Hernandez through six innings. Hernandez (1-0) surrendered just one unearned run on one and four walks while striking out five Bandits to get the win.
Jared Miller worked two scoreless innings in relief of Hernandez, giving up one hit on a two-strike single by Bobby Wernes, and Keegan Long finished off the two-hitter for Kane County with a perfect ninth inning, earning the save.
Chris Murphy carved through his first two frames before stumbling in the third. He retired the first two in the inning before two broken-bat infield singles extended the inning. Trevor Mitsui smoked a grounder into the right-center gap to plate Matt McPhearson and Joe Munoz followed with the ground-ball triple into the left-field corner to score two more, giving Kane County a 3-0 advantage. Murphy (0-2) tossed 4 2/3 innings in the losing effort. The righty allowed three earned runs and struck out three for Quad Cities (2-7).
The River Bandits cut into the lead in the fourth. Tucker reached on the River Bandits first hit of the game and later scored his third run of the season after stealing second then third before taking home on an error from Hernandez.
The Cougars got the run back in the sixth frame. Luis Veras led off with a double and crossed home on a RBI-groundout from Raymel Flores to make it a 4-1 contest.
Matt Bower allowed only one run in three innings of relief for the Bandits. The left-hander struck out a team-high five consecutive Cougars while only giving up three hits in his second appearance of 2016.
The River Bandits look for their first home win of the season Saturday afternoon as LHP Sebastian Kessay (0-0) takes the mound at 1:15 p.m. CT. The Cougars send RHP Justin Donatella (1-0) to the bump. If you cannot make it to Modern Woodmen Park, then watch the action on MiLB.TV or tune in on K-BOB 1170 AM in the Quad Cities and online at riverbandits.com or on the TuneIn app. Jake Levy and Lance Ragland will have the call, beginning with the Lloyd Agencies Pregame Show at 1:00 p.m.
****
FOUR-RUN FIFTH DOOMS RIVER BANDITS
Cameron and Duarte knock triples, but Bandits fall 5-2
DAVENPORT, IA. – The Kane County Cougars used a four-run fifth inning to take game one in the four-game series against the Quad Cities River Bandits on Thursday night in front of 1,952 fans at Modern Woodmen Park. Daz Cameron picked up his first extra-base hit of the season, an RBI-triple, scoring the River Bandits’ first run in the contest. Osvaldo Duarte collected two extra-base knocks, a double and triple, in a 2-for-4 night at the plate.
Albert Abreu was dealing through four innings but faltered in the fifth. The righty loaded the bases with a walk and two infield singles and then gave up a two-run single to Matt McPhearson before exiting the contest. Jose Hernandez came on in relief and after recording one out, gave up a two-run triple to Luke Lowery to put Kane County (4-3) on top 5-1. Abreu (0-1) took the loss over four-plus innings, allowing five earned runs while striking out six. Hernandez allowed only one hit while striking out four in four innings.
The Cougars took the first lead of the game in the second inning. Joe Munoz worked a leadoff walk and later scored off the bat of Robelys Reyes, giving Kane County a 1-0 advantage. The River Bandits evened the contest in the bottom of the third. Antonio Nunez singled and stole second to reach scoring position. Later in the frame Cameron connected for a triple to right field, scoring Nunez and bringing the game all-square at 1-1.
The River Bandits cut into the Kane County lead in the seventh. Duarte knocked a one-out double and Aaron Mizell followed with his own double to score Duarte and make it a 5-2 game.
Alex Young got no decision in his start for Kane County. The Diamondbacks’ second round pick last year went four innings, giving up four hits and one run while striking out six Bandits. Gabe Speier (1-0) took the win in a 2 1/3-inning relief appearance for the Cougars. The lefty did not allow a run or hit and struck out three on the way to his first victory in 2016. Cameron Gann allowed a triple to Duarte in the ninth but did not allow a run in the final frame, picking up his first save of the season.
The River Bandits look to rebound Friday night with RHP Chris Murphy (0-1, 4.15) on the mound. Kane County counters with RHP Carlos Hernandez (0-0, 4.15). First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. CT, with gates opening an hour prior to first pitch. The game will also be available on MiLB.TV and audio on K-BOB 1170 AM in the Quad Cities and online at riverbandits.com or on the TuneIn app. Jake Levy and Lance Ragland will have the call, beginning with the Lloyd Agencies Pregame Show at 6:45 p.m.
****