Quad Cities finishes three-game series with eight runs and 35 runners left on base
DAVENPORT, Iowa (JULY 12, 2013) - The Bowling Green Hot Rods took their first lead with a three-run fourth inning Friday night and held on to the lead over the Quad Cities River Bandits to complete a three-game sweep in front of 7,199 at Modern Woodmen Park.
Hot Rods starter Reinaldo Lopez (4-4) gave up two unearned runs in the fifth inning that closed his team's lead to 3-2, but the right-hander allowed just three hits and worked around two walks and two hit batters to record four strikeouts and pitch six innings for a third consecutive start. Left-hander Matt Spann worked 1 1/3 innings and right-hander Nick Sawyer got the final five outs for his seventh save.
Quad Cities starter Chris Devenski began his Midwest League debut by scattering three hits in three shutout innings. In the fourth, Devenski walked the leadoff hitter in Hot Rods catcher Justin O'Conner. The next batter, second baseman Tommy Coyle, grounded a ball back to Devenski, whose throw to second base pulled shortstop Carlos Correa off the bag and left the runners safe at first and second. Hot Rods third baseman Tyler Goeddel then lined a two-run triple to the left-center field gap and scored on a single by shortstop Leonardo Reginatto. With a 3-0 deficit, Devenski retired six of the next seven batters to finish five innings with three runs - two earned - on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
The River Bandits (12-8 second half, 50-38 overall) answered against Lopez in the fifth inning, as right fielder Dan Gulbransen drew a leadoff walk, and catcher Luis Alvarez singled for his first Midwest League hit. Second baseman Brian Blasik grounded into a fielder's choice to put runners at first and third bases. O'Conner then tried to pick Gulbransen off third, but the throw went down the left-field line to advance each runner. Goeddel then misplayed an infield chopper by Correa, allowing Blasik to score and Correa to reach second base. But left fielder Jesse Wierzbicki flied out to end the inning with a 3-2 deficit.
The Hot Rods added a seventh-inning run against right-hander Juri Perez, who allowed a leadoff double by right fielder Joey Rickard and a two-out RBI single by center fielder Andrew Toles. Perez allowed four hits and struck out two batters in the final four innings.
Correa hit a seventh-inning RBI single after Blasik hit a two-out single, stole second base and advanced to third on another Goeddel error. After Wierzbicki walked, Spann struck out third baseman Rio Ruiz with the bases loaded. Quad Cities left 10 runners on base.
The victory gave Bowling Green (15-7, 53-37) the first-ever regular season series sweep in the four-year history of the River Bandits and Hot Rods all-time series. The Hot Rods now have won seven of 12 all-time games between the clubs.
Quad Cities will open a three-game series with the Dayton Dragons Saturday night at 7 p.m. River Bandits right-hander Jordan Jankowski (3-1) will face Dragons right-hander Robert Stephenson (5-3) in the series opener.
UP NEXT: The first 2,000 fans through the gates at Modern Woodmen Park Saturday night will receive a Billy Wagner Bobblehead, courtesy of EmbroidMe and the Quad-City Times. The River Bandits host the Dayton Dragons for a 7 p.m. game. 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.
