BANDITS BLANK HOT RODS FOR SWEEP, 10TH STRAIGHT WIN
Barrios extends streak of 41 consecutive scoreless innings by Quad Cities starters
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 6, 2015) - Agapito Barrios threw six shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out five while walking one, and a solo homer by designated hitter Bryan Muniz in the fourth inning was all the River Bandits needed, as they swept the Bowling Green Hot Rods, 2-0, and won their 10th straight game in front of 4,317 at Modern Woodmen Park Thursday night.
The River Bandits (27-13 second half, 72-36 overall) shut out Bowling Green (19-21, 56-53) for the second time in three games, and outscored the Hot Rods, 15-3, in the three-game series. Quad Cities has its second double-digit win streak of the season, following 12 straight wins April 29-May 11, which was the team's first double-digit winning streak since 2002. This season, the 15 other Midwest League teams have combined for two double-digit win streaks (10 games each by Great Lakes and Kane County).
After allowing a leadoff single in the fourth inning to Hot Rods third baseman Grant Kay, Barrios (1-0) retired the final nine batters he faced and struck out two in the sixth inning to finish his outing. In two starts with Quad Cities, Barrios has pitched 11 shutout innings, allowing three hits and one walk with eight strikeouts. Quad Cities starting pitchers have not allowed a run in the last seven games - a streak of 41 consecutive scoreless innings.
Following Barrios, Ryan Thompson retired all six men he faced, striking out three, in the seventh and eighth innings, and Angel Heredia allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth for his sixth save of the season. The River Bandits' Midwest League-leading 13th shutout is their most since 14 shutouts in 2001.
Muñiz got the scoring started in the bottom of the fourth inning on a blast off Hot Rods starter Henry Centeno (6-7) to the top of the Modern Woodmen berm in straight-away left field - his first Midwest League home run of the season in 19 games with Quad Cities - to give the River Bandits the 1-0 lead. Muñiz also had a double as part of his fourth multi-hit outing in his last five games.
Despite the 11 hits, Quad Cities only mustered one more run. In the sixth inning, first baseman Ryan Bottger reached on an error by Hot Rods first baseman Coty Blanchard and advanced to second base on a single by catcher Trent Woodward. After third baseman Luis Reynoso struck out, a two-out single by shortstop Kristian Trompiz drove in Bottger, doubling the River Bandits' lead to 2-0. Bottger, Muñiz, Trompiz and center fielder Bobby Boyd each had two hits. Boyd finished 6-for-11 in the series against Bowling Green.
The River Bandits open their final series of their season-long nine-game, 10-day homestand with the first of three games against the Dayton Dragons at 7 p.m. Friday. Right-handers Elieser Hernandez (1-1, 1.96) of Quad Cities and Tyler Mahle (11-5, 2.51) of Dayton are scheduled to pitch the series opener.
UP NEXT: Gates open at 6 p.m. for Autism Awareness Night, when the River Bandits will wear special caps to be auctioned during the game to benefit the Quad Cities Autism Center. The 7 p.m. game is a Fireworks Friday presented by Smart Toyota of Quad Cities, WLLR and WQAD. Individual tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office and online at riverbandits.com. Ticket plans of 12 to 70 games - which include free parking, reserved seats, merchandise discounts, and guaranteed giveaways - are available by calling 563-324-3000.
SEVEN-RUN SECOND FUELS BANDITS' 9TH STRAIGHT WIN
Garrett Stubbs has a career-high three hits with two RBI doubles, and Dean Deetz earns first Midwest League win
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 6, 2015) - Dean Deetz pitched five shutout innings in his first Midwest League start, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out four, and the River Bandits' seven-run rally on six hits in the second inning helped power Quad Cities to a ninth straight win with a 10-3 victory over the Bowling Green Hot Rods in front of 2,144 at Modern Woodmen Park Wednesday night.
The solid start by Deetz (1-0) extended a scoreless streak by River Bandits starting pitchers to 35 consecutive innings over the last six games. In his five innings Wednesday, Deetz retired the side in order twice, and had two strikeouts in his fifth and final inning of work.
Quad Cities (26-13 second half, 71-36 overall) erupted for seven runs in the second inning, bringing 11 men to the plate and chasing Hot Rods starter Brad Wallace (2-3) after just 1 2/3 innings. Designated hitter Drew Ferguson began the frame with a double to left, followed by a double to center by catcher Garrett Stubbs to score Ferguson and put the River Bandits on the board. Third baseman Luis Reynoso singled, moving Stubbs to third, and after shortstop Kristian Trompiz flied out to left, a double by left fielder Jason Martin scored both Stubbs and Reynoso, making it 3-0.
The rally continued with Martin stealing third base before a walk to center fielder Bobby Boyd, who was then caught stealing with second baseman Nick Tanielu at the plate. With Martin at third base, Tanielu tripled to the right-field corner and scored on an RBI single by first baseman Bryan Muñiz, who was the last batter in Wallace's day. Reliever Ryan Pennell walked right fielder Ramon Laureano on four pitches and then committed a two-base throwing error on a ground ball by Ferguson, hitting for the second time in the inning. The errant throw got past first baseman Alec Sole, allowing both Muñiz and Laureano to score, making it a 7-0 River Bandits lead.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Laureano was hit by a pitch, and Ferguson walked, followed by Stubbs' second RBI double, making it an 8-0 lead. Ferguson, who advanced to third on Stubbs' double, scored on Reynoso's fly ball to right, extending the lead to 9-0.
Bowling Green (19-20, 56-53) cut into the lead in the sixth inning against reliever Jorge Perez with three consecutive run-scoring plays. With runners on the corners and one out, left fielder Bralin Jackson singled home third baseman Grant Kay to put the Hot Rods on the board, ending a 15 1/3 scoreless streak to begin the series. James then grounded out, scoring designated hitter Hunter Lockwood, and a Sole double plated Jackson, making it a 9-3 game.
Six runs was the closest the Hot Rods came, as the River Bandits strung together three straight two-out singles in the sixth, culminating in a Trompiz RBI single, putting Quad Cities into double digits for the second time in its current winning streak. Every River Bandit had at least one hit, led by Stubbs' career-high three hits, including two doubles for his first two career extra-base hits.
Quad Cities left-hander Zach Davis struck out two in the seventh inning and retired all six batters he faced, and newcomer and fellow left-hander Steve Naemark worked a perfect ninth inning in his Midwest League debut.
BANDITS BLANK BOWLING GREEN FOR 8TH STRAIGHT WIN
Quad Cities wins, 3-0, by pitching club's Midwest League-high 12th shutout of 2015
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 4, 2015) - Justin Ferrell became the first Quad Cities River Bandits pitcher this season to go 7 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts, and Eric Peterson pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, as the River Bandits shut out the Bowling Green Hot Rods, 3-0, for their eighth straight win in front of 3,011 at Modern Woodmen Park Tuesday night.
Ferrell (3-2) delivered the longest outing by a River Bandits starter this season, surpassing the 7 1/3 he threw in a start on July 12 against Burlington. Ferrell was removed from the game in the top of the eighth inning after allowing a two-out single to second baseman Riley Unroe. Reliever Eric Peterson needed only one pitch to get left fielder Bralin Jackson to fly out to right, and then struck out the side in the ninth inning around a one-out hit batsman to earn his team-best sixth save of 2015.
Quad Cities (25-13 second half, 70-36) got on the board in the third inning against starter Yonny Chirinos (3-2) on a rally started by a one-out walk to second baseman Luis Reynoso. After Kristian Trompiz flied out to center, left fielder Jason Martin dumped a ball into shallow right field for a hit, advancing Reynoso to third, and reaching second himself as the throw went towards third. With center fielder Bobby Boyd batting, a passed ball by catcher Nick Ciuffo allowed Reynoso to score and Martin to get to third, putting Quad Cities ahead, 1-0.
Bowling Green (19-19, 56-52) had several opportunities to get a rally started against Ferrell, as the leadoff man reached base in four straight innings, beginning with a double by right fielder Justin Williams in the second inning. Each time, Ferrell was able to prevent the runner from scoring. The Hot Rods stranded seven men on base in the game.
The River Bandits extended their lead in the bottom of the seventh against Chirinos, beginning with a leadoff single by right fielder Ramon Laureano. With first baseman Ryan Bottger batting, a wild pitch advanced Laureano into scoring position. Bottger immediately took advantage of the extra 90 feet, hitting a single into center field drive in Laureano, and when center fielder Thomas Milone misplayed the ball, Bottger was able to reach second on the error. Catcher Trent Woodward then hit a ground ball to first base that moved Bottger over to third. Reynoso made it a 3-0 lead on a base hit up the middle to score Bottger.
The River Bandits' second shutout in the last three games gives them 12 shutouts this season, marking their most in a season since 2004. Quad Cities became the first team in baseball to win 70 games this season and clinched a winning record with 32 games still remaining in the 2015 regular season. The team's record of 34 games above .500 is the club's best since finishing the 1992 season at 91-46.
