BANDITS QUIET SNAPPERS AGAIN TO EARN SPLIT
Bobby Boyd has two hits in Quad Cities debut, while A.J. Reed hits first career triple among two hits
DAVENPORT, Iowa. (August 10, 2014) - Quad Cities right-hander Michael Feliz limited the Beloit Snappers to a run on three hits in the first five innings, and left-hander Chris Lee and Chris Cotton combined for four scoreless relief innings to conclude a second straight 6-1 River Bandits win in front of 3,996 at Modern Woodmen Park Sunday night.
Feliz (8-4) was perfect with four strikeouts through the first three innings, while his teammates built an early 6-0 lead for the second straight game off Snappers right-hander Joey Wagman (1-1). In the first inning, River Bandits center fielder James Ramsay hit a one-out single, and scored when designated hitter Chase McDonald's single went past left fielder Snappers left fielder Justin Higley. First baseman A.J. Reed singled to put runners at first and third bases with one out, but Wagman retired the next two batters.
In the second inning, Wagman walked second baseman Jose Fernandez. A groundout by shortstop Thomas Lindauer moved Fernandez to second base, and left fielder Bobby Boyd singled to left field in his first Midwest League at-bat to move Fernandez to third base. Right fielder Ryan Bottger's sacrifice fly to center field scored Fernandez to give Quad Cities (25-24 second half, 60-58 overall) a 2-0 lead.
In the third inning, Wagman allowed a one-out walk to McDonald, and Reed laced a ground ball down the first-base line that scored McDonald and put Reed at third base for his first career triple. Third baseman J.D. Davis doubled to left field to scored Reed, and with two outs, Fernandez singled Davis home to end Wagman's outing after 2 2/3 innings. Lindauer walked against right-hander Hunter Adkins, and Boyd singled to right field to score pinch runner Dayne Parker for a 6-0 lead. Boyd finished 2-for-3 in his River Bandits debut.
Quad Cities managed two hits and a walk from the fourth through eighth innings. Adkins scattered three hits and a walk with one strikeout in 4 1/3 innings, before right-hander Tyler Vail walked a batter in a scoreless eighth inning. In the four-game series that the teams split, Beloit starters allowed all 15 River Bandits runs in 20 1/3 innings for a 6.64 ERA, while Beloit's bullpen worked 13 2/3 scoreless innings.
Trailing 6-0, Beloit (17-31, 47-71) got its first baserunner when shortstop Melvin Mercedes led off the fourth inning with a home run to right field against Feliz, who yielded his first home run since June 5 and first earned run in 17 innings against Beloit. All five Midwest League home runs against Feliz have been hit by left-handed batters leading off an inning. Feliz allowed two more hits but no more runs, as he became the season-high eighth straight River Bandits starter to pitch at least five innings. He allowed three hits without a walk and struck out five batters. In 19 innings over four starts against Beloit, Feliz is 2-0 and has allowed two runs - one earned - for a 0.47 ERA. The Snappers have eight hits, two three walks and 22 strikeouts while hitting for a .125 average against Feliz this season.
After Feliz, left-hander Chris Lee struck out four batters in three perfect innings in his first relief outing since July 17. Left-hander Chris Cotton pitched the ninth inning, allowing a one-out single by center fielder B.J. Boyd but also striking out two batters to finish a 6-1 win and a split of the four-game series with Beloit. With a 6-1 win Saturday, the River Banidts have won back-to-back games by the same score on two occasions in the last 16 days. They also won consecutive 9-2 finals July 26-27 at Bowling Green.
After its final scheduled off day of the regular season Monday, Quad Cities opens a three-game series at Kane County at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Geneva, Ill. River Bandits right-hander Kevin Comer (1-3) is scheduled to face Cougars right-hander Jen-Ho Tseng (6-1).
UP NEXT: A Fireworks Friday kicks off the next homestand, with a 7 p.m. game on City of Davenport Night and Global Cultural Night presented by Tyson Fresh Meats. When gates open at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the first 1,500 fans receive a Trevor Rosenthal Bobblehead courtesy of DHCU and FOX18. 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. Tickets are available at www.riverbandits.com.
BANDITS STRIKE BACK IN SIMS' SHUTOUT START
James Ramsay swats grand slam for first home run of the season, Chase McDonald hits 14th in 6-1 win
DAVENPORT, Iowa. (August 9, 2014) - Quad Cities left-hander Blaine Sims pitched six shutout innings for the first time in three years, left fielder Chase McDonald hit his team-high 14th home run, and center fielder James Ramsay hit a grand slam for his first home run in nearly a year, helping the River Bandits to a 6-1 win over the Beloit Snappers in front of 6,971 at Modern Woodmen Park Saturday night.
After losing the first two games of a four-game home series, Quad Cities (24-24 second half, 59-58 overall) defeated Beloit (17-30, 47-70) for the 11th time in 15 meetings this season. The River Bandits had averaged three runs per game while starting August 2-6, but they posted their highest single-game run total of the month by the end of the second inning Saturday.
After Sims (3-4) worked around a pair of one-out singles in the first inning, Ramsay hit a one-out single in the bottom of the first inning off Snappers right-hander Junior Mendez (2-7). McDonald then smacked a two-run home run to the Modern Woodmen Berm down the left-field line for a 2-0 lead - the River Bandits' first of the series. McDonald drove in his team's first five runs in the series against Beloit, and with a team-best 11 home runs in the second half, he is the first River Bandit with 14 home runs since 2012.
In the bottom of the second inning, second baseman Jose Fernandez drew a one-out walk, Mendez hit catcher Brett Booth with a pitch, and shortstop Thomas Lindauer lined a single to left field to load the bases. With two outs, Ramsay hit an 0-1 Mendez offering that cleared the ribbon board in right field for Ramsay's first career grand slam and first home run since he homered for short-season Class-A Tri-City Aug. 25, 2013. It was the River Bandits' fifth grand slam of the season - each by a different player - and gave Ramsay a career-high four RBIs.
With a 6-0 lead, Sims limited the Snappers to lone singles in the third and fourth innings, and lone two-out doubles in the fifth and sixth innings. He did not allow a baserunner to reach third base and pitched six shutout innings for the first time since June 13, 2011, when he did so for Atlanta Braves Class-A Advanced affiliate Lynchburg in the Carolina League. As the River Bandits' seventh straight starter to pitch at least five innings, Sims scattered six hits and struck out a season-high six batters without a walk for the first time this season.
Mendez allowed only two hits after the second inning but left after 4 2/3 innings, allowing six earned runs on six hits, one walk and three hit batters with three strikeouts. After Mendez, the Snappers bullpen pitched scoreless baseball for the third straight game. Right-hander Trevor Bayless struck out two batters while allowing one hit in 2 1/3 shutout innings, and right-hander Joel Seddon struck out all three batters in a perfect eighth inning. Beloit relievers have allowed three hits and no runs in 8 1/3 innings the last three games.
Ramsay singled in the fourth inning for his first three-hit game since the All-Star Break, and McDonald added a single in the seventh inning for his second hit. Third baseman J.D. Davis in the third inning to extend a three-game hitting streak.
After Sims, right-hander Andrew Walter struck out all three batters in a perfect seventh inning. Right-hander Keegan Yuhl walked two batters and allowed a hit for Beloit's only run in the eighth inning. Right-hander Frederick Tiburcio pitched a perfect ninth inning.
Quad Cities seeks a split of the four-game series with Beloit at 5 p.m. Sunday at Modern Woodmen Park. River Bandits right-hander Michael Feliz (7-4) is scheduled to face Snappers right-hander Joey Wagman (1-0) in the seven-game homestand finale.
