DAVENPORT, IOWA (May 30, 2019) — The Quad Cities River Bandits watched the Beloit Snappers put the tying run on second base in the top of the ninth inning, but unlike a night earlier when the lead slipped away, they escaped with a 4-2 victory on Thursday night. With the bases loaded and a run already in, Max Schuemann flied out to left field to end the game.
The River Bandits (33-17) got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first inning, putting three runs on the board. Austin Dennis opened the frame with a single and immediately scored on Jeremy Pena’s double to center. Pena was thrown out at third on a Freudis Nova chopper, but Nova replaced him on the basepaths. Cesar Salazar worked a full count against Beloit starting-pitcher Aiden McIntyre and then blasted a two-run home run over the right field wall to extend the lead to 3-0. The long ball was Salazar’s third of the season.
Beloit (19-32) was able to trim a run off of the lead in the top of the third against Matt Ruppenthal. The first two batters of the inning reached on a hit by pitch and a walk before Ryan Gridley bounced into a double-play, leaving only a man on third. Lester Madden grounded a double down the third base line to cut the Bandits lead to 3-1.
Nova added a valuable insurance-run in the bottom of the eighth, blasting a 393-foot home run to left-center off of reliever Michael Danielak. Nova’s second home run of the homestand pushed the lead back to three.
In the ninth, Jose Rivera allowed a lead-off single to Madden, who moved to second on a wild pitch. Another wild pitch sent Madden to third, and when the throw from Ruben Castro escaped into left field, Madden scored to make it 4-2. River was removed in favor of Devin Conn following a walk to Logan Farrar. Conn, who was the losing pitcher in Wednesday’s Beloit comeback, walked Joseph Pena and Devin Foyle to load the bases with two outs before recording the final out.
Rivera worked 4.1 innings to earn the victory on the mound. He allowed one run on just two hits and struck out five. Conn earned the save by recording the final two outs. The starter, Ruppenthal, covered the first 4.0 innings while giving up one run on three hits. He walked five and struck out four.
Dennis, Nova, and Michael Wielansky each finished with two hits for the River Bandits. Pena extended his hitting streak to 12 games with the first inning double.
The River Bandits head to Burlington on Friday for the start of a big weekend series against the second-place Bees. First pitch in the series-opener is set for 6:30PM. The River Bandits have not yet announced a pitcher for the first game. Burlington will have RHP Kyle Tyler (1-0, 3.63) on the mound.
Beloit (R-H-E): 2-5-1
Quad Cities (R-H-E): 4-9-2
Win: Rivera (1-2)
Loss: McIntyre (1-3)
Save: Conn (3)
HR: Beloit: None
HR: Quad Cities: Cesar Salazar (3, 1st Inning, 1 on base), Freudis Nova (2, 8th inning, 0 on base)
All River Bandits games are broadcast on 1170 K-BOB and TuneIn Radio. Home games are also available with video on MiLB.TV.
