DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 24, 2014) - Quad Cities shortstop Thomas Lindauer cut into the Cedar Rapids Kernels' 4-0 lead with a three-run home run in the fifth inning Sunday, and third baseman J.D. Davis broke a 5-5 tie with an eighth-inning, three-run home run to lift the River Bandits to their second win when trailing by four runs this season in an 8-6 final in front of 3,598 at Modern Woodmen Park.
The second straight win for the River Bandits (30-32 second half, 65-66 overall) kept the Kernels (39-23, 70-63) from clinching a second-half playoff berth, until Peoria (30-32) lost, 4-3, in Clinton on Sunday afternoon, making Cedar Rapids the first team in the Midwest League to clinch a postseason berth in the second half. Wisconsin, before hosting Beloit Sunday night, led Quad Cities and Peoria by two-and-a-half games for the only remaining Western Division playoff spot. After Sunday, eight games remain in the regular season.
The Kernels took their first lead in the third inning against River Bandits left-hander Blaine Sims. Right fielder Zack Larson hit a one-out single, and third baseman Jonatan Hinojosa drew a two-out walk. Shortstop Engelb Vielma struck out, but a passed ball by catcher Brett Booth allowed Vielma to reach first base and load the bases. First baseman Chad Christensen hit the next pitch to the bottom of the left-center field wall for a 3-0 Kernels lead. In the fourth inning, left fielder J.D. Williams doubled down the third-base line and went to third base on an error by left fielder Jose Fernandez. Larson's groundout scored Williams for a 4-0 Kernels lead. Sims retired nine of the final 10 batters he faced to pitch six innings, allowing four unearned runs, four hits, three walks, and matching a career high with seven strikeouts.
Kernels left-hander Mat Batts kept the River Bandits scoreless until the fifth inning, when designated hitter A.J. Reed hit a leadoff single to right field, and with two outs, right fielder James Ramsay singled to center field. Lindauer then took Batts deep to the Modern Woodmen Berm in left field. Lindauer's fifth home run - and the first Batts allowed in the Midwest League - cut the deficit to 4-3. Center fielder Bobby Boyd and pinch hitter Ryan Bottger hit consecutive singles to end Batts' outing, but left-hander Brandon Bixler struck out second baseman Marc Wik to keep the one-run lead. Bixler retired the first six batters he faced until Lindauer hit a seventh-inning, two-out double to left field, and Boyd grounded a 3-2 pitch into center field for a game-tying single for the only run Bixler allowed in 2 1/3 innings.
In a 4-4 tie, River Bandits right-hander Raul Rivera began his second relief inning in his Midwest League debut, and allowed three straight one-out singles to center fielder Max Murphy, Williams and designated Logan Wade, whose RBI gave Cedar Rapids a 5-4 lead. Rivera was relieved after allowing one earned run on four hits in 1 1/3 innings, and right-hander Frederick Tiburcio (4-3) entered to get Wade to ground into an inning-ending double play and went on to win his third straight relief outing despite allowing a run in the ninth inning.
With a 5-4 lead, Kernels right-hander Hudson Boyd began the eighth inning by walking Wik. First baseman Chase McDonald reached when Hinojosa misplayed a ground ball at third, and Reed doubled to right field to score the tying run. With runners at second and third bases, Davis launched his fourth Midwest League home run to left-center field for his team's first lead at 8-5. Quad Cities overcame a four-run deficit and won for the first time since a 9-8 win over Clinton after trailing, 7-3, in Game 2 of an April 30 home doubleheader.
Quad Cities continues its series with Cedar Rapids and final homestand at 7:00 p.m. Monday, when River Bandits right-hander Troy Scribner (0-2) is scheduled to face Kernels left-hander Stephen Gonsalves (2-2).
UP NEXT: Fan Appreciation Week continues with Illinios Fan Appreciation Night, when Illinois residents can get $1 bleacher or berm tickets by showing a valid driver's license at the box office. Regular bleacher and berm tickets are just $2, as are hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, nachos, soda, and beer on a Markdown Monday presented by 97X. An all-you-can-ride amusements pass is just $10 on Monday. On Tuesday, Iowa residents can get $1 tickets, and Thursday is Modern Woodmen Half-Price Night, when all regular tickets are half-price. Regular tickets for the homestand through Aug. 29 are available at www.riverbandits.com.
