BANDITS CAN'T ERASE EARLY DEFICIT, FALL TO BEES
Five runs in the first two innings were enough for Burlington to take season series finale
BURLINGTON, Iowa (September 1, 2015) - The Burlington Bees offense racked up five runs on five hits in the first two innings, and the Bees bullpen withstood late scoring threats, as the Bees beat the Quad Cities River Bandits, 7-4, Tuesday night at Community Field.
The Bees (23-41 second half, 58-75 overall) pounced on River Bandits starter Elieser Hernandez (2-3) in the very early going, scoring three times in the bottom of the first inning. Center fielder Ayendy Perez and second baseman Tim Arakawa each reached on base hits to start the frame. Catcher Taylor Ward reached on a fielder's choice, advancing Perez to third, with Arakawa forced out at second base for the first out of the inning. Shortstop Zach Houchins singled to left field to drive in Perez and give Burlington a 1-0 lead. With two out, runners on second and third bases and designated hitter Natanael Delgado at the plate, a passed ball by catcher Marlon Avea and a balk by Hernandez each plated a run, giving the Bees a 3-0 lead.
Burlington added to its lead in the second inning, as the first three batters reached base, beginning with a one-out throwing error by shortstop Kristian Trompiz, allowing right fielder Mitchell Esser to reach, and a walk to third baseman Nick Flair. Perez doubled home Esser for the fourth Bees run, advancing Flair to third base. With Arakawa batting, Hernandez threw a wild pitch that plated Flair and made it a 5-0 Burlington lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Esser led off the inning with an infield single to first baseman Wander Franco, advanced to second on a ground out, and made it to third on a wild pickoff attempt by Hernandez. Perez then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Esser and making it 6-0.
Forced to play catch-up against Justin Anderson (9-9), the River Bandits (40-24, 85-47) finally chipped into the lead in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Trompiz tripled to left-center field, and third baseman Luis Reynoso brought him home with a sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring Trompiz for Quad Cities' first run.
After Delgado's fifth-inning solo homer made it a 7-1 game, the River Bandits rallied again in the sixth inning. They loaded the bases with Avea's infield popup-turned-infield-single, a one-out double by left fielder Jason Martin, and a pitch that hit designated hitter Bryan Muñiz. Right fielder Drew Ferguson took a 2-1 Anderson offering and found the gap in right-center field, clearing the bases and cutting the lead in half. However, the rally ended as second baseman Jose Fernandez struck out and Ferguson was thrown out trying to steal third base on the same play, keeping Burlington ahead, 7-4.
Three runs was the closest Quad Cities came against the Bees bullpen. Right-handers Gaither Bumgardner and Jordan Piche escaped jams with the tying run at the plate in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. Piche got the last four outs for his eighth save.
The River Bandits return to Modern Woodmen Park Wednesday night for the start of their final regular season home series, a three-game set with the playoff-bound Kane County Cougars. For the opener, the River Bandits will send right-hander Rogelio Armenteros (1-0, 0.00) to the mound, while the Cougars will counter with left-hander Jared Miller (4-4, 5.92).
UP NEXT: All-you-can-ride passes are $10 each on Wednesday at the River Bandits' 7 p.m. game. Gates open at 6 p.m. on a Pay Your Bill Wednesday, when fans can enter copies of their unpaid bills to a drawing, from which the River Bandits will select and pay two up to $100 each. The River Bandits will have fireworks following 7 p.m. games Thursday and Friday, when the team will also be celebrating back-to-back Fan Appreciation Nights, with $2 drinks and Make-A-Wish Night presented by Olympic Steel on Thursday, and Friday Fireworks presented by Smart Toyota of Quad Cities. 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.
LONG BALL POWERS BANDITS TO 5-2 WIN OVER BURLINGTON
Trompiz and Muñiz hit fourth-inning home runs for Quad Cities, as Deetz extends scoreless streak
BURLINGTON, Iowa (August 31, 2015) - Shortstop Kristian Trompiz and first baseman Bryan Muñiz each homered, and starter Dean Deetz pitched five scoreless innings to extend his streak to 16 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing a run, as the Quad Cities River Bandits bested the Burlington Bees, 5-2, at Community Field Monday night.
Pitching for the first time since throwing seven no-hit innings Aug. 24 at home against Clinton, Deetz (4-1) retired the first seven Bees in order before a one-out double by right fielder Trever Allen in the third inning. Deetz only allowed one other hit on a night where every batter put a ball into play. Burlington (22-41 second half, 57-75 overall) put two runners on base in the fourth inning, as shortstop Zach Houchins reached on a one-out error by Luis Reynoso at second base, and catcher Taylor Ward singled to put runners at first and second bases. But Deetz got left fielder Trevor Gretzky to fly out to left, and first baseman Steven Mateo ended the inning on a ground ball to Wander Franco at third, who forced out Ward with a throw to Reynoso at second to end the inning.
The River Bandits (40-23, 85-46) took advantage of control issues by Burlington starter Keynan Middleton (5-11) in the early going, with both catcher Garrett Stubbs and Trompiz walking to start the second inning. After a sacrifice bunt by Reynoso moved both runners into scoring position, Franco's ground ball to Houchins at shortstop scored Stubbs and put Quad Cities ahead, 1-0. Franco has collected his first two Midwest League RBIs in the first two games of the series.
The lead widened in the fourth, as Trompiz began the inning with his sixth home run of the year - a drive to straight-away left field. Reynoso followed with a walk and advanced to second on a one-out base hit to right fieldby center fielder Bobby Boyd. Left fielder Jason Martin did not advance the runners, as he flied out to center, but Muñiz brought home both runners on his third home run as a River Bandit this season on a booming shot to left to open up a 5-0 Quad Cities lead.
Following Deetz to start the sixth inning, reliever Juan Robles made his Midwest League debut and became the 59th different River Bandit (tying a franchise record) to play in a game this season, Burlington rallied for a pair of runs in the seventh. After walking a pair in the sixth and recording his first Midwest League strikeout, Robles retired the first batter of the seventh inning before walking the bases loaded with one out. Jacob Dorris took over to face center fielder Ayendy Perez and promptly threw a wild pitch, allowing the Bees to score their first run and move the other two runners into scoring position. Burlington scored again when Perez grounded a ball to the right side, scoring the runner from third base and making it a 5-2 game. Dorris got out of the inning by getting second baseman Tim Arakawa to ground out to Muñiz, who fed the ball to Dorris covering the base to end the threat for the Bees.
Dorris allowed one runner in the last two innings of work and struck out three batters to earn his first save with the River Bandits.
OPPORTUNISTIC BANDITS EDGE OUT BURLINGTON
Quad Cities scores runs on a sacrifice fly and wild pitch for 84th win - second-most in franchise history
BURLINGTON, Iowa (August 30, 2015) - Brock Dykxhoorn allowed one run on six hits and struck out three batters in seven innings, and the Quad Cities River Bandits capitalized on their chances offensively, scratching two runs across on four hits to beat the Burlington Bees, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at Community Field.
Dykxhoorn (8-4) tied a career high with seven innings pitched, reaching that mark for the third time this season after accomplishing the feat on July 2 against Peoria and Aug. 9 against Dayton. Dykxhoorn became Quad Cities' first eight-game winner this season.
The scoring began in the second inning against Burlington starter Michael Bolaski (9-11) on a rally that began with River Bandits second baseman Jose Fernandez reaching on an error by Bees third baseman Nick Flair. With first baseman Ryan Bottger batting, Fernandez stole second base and advanced to third on Bottger's infield hit to Flair. Shortstop Luis Reynoso walked to load the bases for third baseman Wander Franco, who flied out to left, deep enough to score Fernandez and give Quad Cities (39-23 second half, 84-46 overall) the 1-0 lead.
The Bees (22-41, 57-75) looked ready to pull even in their half of the second with runners on first and second bases and one out, but Dykxhoorn recovered well, getting right fielder Natanael Delgado to fly out to center field and designated hitter Trever Allen to ground out to third base to end the threat.
Burlington tied the game in the fourth inning on a leadoff single by second baseman Tim Arakawa and RBI double by shortstop Zach Houchins. With the Bees primed take the lead, Dykxhoorn buckled down again, retiring left fielder Trevor Gretzky on a fly ball to right field, striking out first baseman Steven Mateo, and getting Delgado to fly out to center field with the go-ahead run on third base.
After Gretzky's seventh-inning leadoff single and stolen base of second with nobody out, Dykxhoorn finished the inning and the outing strong, striking out Mateo and Delgado, and coaxing a ground ball back to himself on the mound off the bat of Allen.
With Dykxhoorn still the pitcher of record in the top of the eighth inning and Bolaski still in the game, the River Bandits began a two-out rally with the bases empty, as center fielder Bobby Boyd tripled to left-center field. Left fielder Jason Martin and designated hitter Drew Ferguson each walked, knocking Bolaski out of the game in favor of right-handed reliever Jason Hoppe. With right fielder Ramon Laureano at the plate, Hoppe's wild pitch scooted far enough from catcher Taylor Ward to score Boyd and put Quad Cities ahead, 2-1.
The Bees had one last rally in the tank against Quad Cities reliever Zach Davis in the eighth inning. Center fielder Ayendy Perez hit a one-out single, and Arakawa reached on a two-out fielding error by Fernandez. Angel Heredia came in from the bullpen to get out of the jam, and in an eight-pitch at-bat, he got Houchins to ground out to Fernandez to end the inning. Heredia worked a perfect ninth, ending the game by catching Delgado looking for a strikeout to seal the victory, earning his sixth save in 15 days and team-high 12th overall this season.
With the 2-1 win, the River Bandits won their 84th game - the second-most in Quad Cities franchise history behind the 1992 Quad City River Bandits, who won 91 games. Sunday's contest was the ninth one-run game between Quad Cities and Burlington this season, and the sixth straight game decided by the minimum.
PEORIA PITCHING OUTSHINES BANDITS IN SERIES FINALE
Gomber, Chiefs bullpen hold Quad Cities to two runs on three hits in teams' final regular season meeting
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 29, 2015) - Peoria's Midwest League All-Star left-hander Austin Gomber pitched six innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits, and the No. 5 through No. 9 hitters in the Chiefs lineup collected eight of the team's nine hits in a 4-2 win over the Quad Cities River Bandits in front of 5,948 at Modern Woodmen Park Saturday night.
Gomber (15-3) won his seventh consecutive start and beat the River Bandits (38-23 second half, 83-46 overall) for the second time in four starts after losing his first two decisions to Quad Cities (38-23 second half, 83-46 overall) in April.
The Chiefs (38-23, 71-58) aided their starter with a pair of second-inning runs on consecutive one-out hits. Center fielder Harrison Bader singled to right, and catcher Brian O'Keefe hit an RBI double to left field. Designated hitter Steve Bean followed with an RBI single to center field to double Peoria's lead to 2-0.
Quad Cities second baseman Jose Fernandez began the bottom of the second inning by reaching on a throwing error by Gomber. With right fielder Ryan Bottger batting, Fernandez stole second base and advanced to third on Bottger's groundout. However, shortstop Kristian Trompiz struck out swinging, and after third baseman Luis Reynoso walked, first baseman Wander Franco, struck out looking in his first Midwest League at-bat, stranding two runners on base.
The River Bandits put a dent in the lead in the fourth inning, as Fernandez reached on a one-out walk and stole second base with Bottger batting. On the pitch when Bottger struck out, Fernandez stole third base and advanced home on O'Keefe's wild throw that went flying pver third baseman Paul DeJong into left field, making it a 2-1 game.
After the second inning, Quad Cities starter Joshua James (6-4) kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard until the eighth inning, when Derek Gibson had a leadoff bunt single and went to second base on James' errant throw to first base. After James' wild pitch sent Gibson to third base, DeJong's sacrifice fly gave Peoria a 3-1 lead. James pitched a career-high eight innings and tied his career high of seven strikeouts. James became the first River Bandit to go eight full innings in a start since Michael Feliz did so against Burlington Aug. 5, 2014.
Peoria increased its lead in the ninth on a solo home run by Bader off reliever Steve Naemark. The River Bandits were held to just three base runners in the fifth through eighth innings by Gomber and relievers Nick Lomascolo and Nick Frey.
In the ninth inning with a 4-1 lead, Chiefs right-hander Jery Then started by walking Fernandez and Bottger, bringing the tying run to the plate with nobody out. Trompiz reached on a fielder's choice fielded by shortstop Oscar Mercado, who cut down the lead runner Fernandez at third for the first out, and Then struck out Reynoso looking for the second out. Franco, called up Friday from the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Astros, hit a ball up the middle that was knocked down by Then and overthrown by the pitcher to first base, allowing Bottger to score, while sending Trompiz to third and Franco to second. With the tying runs in scoring position, catcher Marlon Avea, who joined the River Bandits Saturday from Short-Season Tri-City and earlier singled in his first Midwest League at-bat, struck out swinging on three pitches to end the game, earning Then his second save of the year.
ARMENTEROS LEADS BANDITS' LEAGUE-BEST 16TH SHUTOUT
Quad Cities' 83rd win ties 2010 team for second-most in franchise history
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 28, 2015) - Just called up from Short Season Tri-City on Tuesday, Rogelio Armenteros fit in with his new team in his Midwest League debut, throwing five innings of one-hit shutout baseball, striking out a career-high nine batters and walking one as the Quad Cities River Bandits blanked the Peoria Chiefs, 3-0, in front of 6,696 at Modern Woodmen Park Friday night.
Armenteros (1-0) was the 34th pitcher used by the River Bandits (38-22 second half, 83-45 overall) this year, and he became the 20th different starting pitcher this season, both Quad Cities franchise records. In his five innings of work, Armenteros collected at least one strikeout each inning and only allowed baserunners on a single, walk, error, and third-strike wild pitch.
The River Bandits were able to rally against Peoria right-hander Jack Flaherty (8-3) for a run in the second inning. Designated hitter Drew Ferguson led off the inning with a base hit and stole second base with right fielder Ramon Laureano batting. Laureano singled to right, moving Ferguson to third, and stole second base with second baseman Jose Fernandez at bat. Fernandez hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Ferguson and give Quad Cities a 1-0 lead.
Peoria (37-23, 70-58) had its best opportunity of the night in the third inning after a leadoff single by catcher Steve Bean. With one out and Bean on first base, second baseman Darren Seferina walked, before shortstop Oscar Mercado flied out to center field. Third baseman Paul DeJong reached on an error by third baseman Luis Reynoso to load the bases for first baseman Alex De Leon, but Armenteros struck out the Chiefs' RBI leader to end the inning and leave the bases full.
In the fourth inning, the River Bandits capitalized on two Peoria errors to add to their lead. With the bases empty and two outs, Fernandez singled, and catcher Trent Woodward reached on catcher interference by Bean - the inning's first error - to put runners on first and second bases with two outs. Shortstop Kristian Trompiz grounded a ball to Mercado, who dropped it, loading the bases. Reynoso cashed in on the pair of errors by depositing the first pitch he saw from Flaherty into right-center field to score Fernandez and Woodward, giving Quad Cities a 3-0 lead. Flaherty went a career-high seven innings, allowing three runs - one earned - on five hits and one walk and six strikeouts.
For the River Bandits, Eric Peterson pitched three shutout innings in relief, allowing two hits in the sixth and one in the eighth, but also striking out a pair of batters. Angel Heredia struck out one batter and allowed a runner on Fernandez's error in the ninth inning before recording his 11th save of the season to preserve the win.
The Midwest League-leading 16th shutout by Quad Cities is the most for the franchise since pitching 17 in 1980.
BANDITS SURGE EARLY, HANG ON TO BEAT PEORIA, 8-6
Quad Cities jumps to 8-1 lead and withstands furious late rally for MiLB-best 82nd win
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 27, 2015) - First baseman Bryan Muñiz was 2-for-4 with two runs and a two-run home run in his first professional game as a leadoff hitter, and left-hander Zach Davis halted a five-run rally to preserve the lead in the Quad Cities River Bandits' 8-6 win over the Peoria Chiefs, who clinched a playoff spot earlier Thursday night, in front of 4,671 at Modern Woodmen Park.
Davis entered in the eighth inning after Peoria (37-22 second half, 70-57 overall) rallied to close an 8-1 gap to an 8-5 deficit. With two runners on base, Davis allowed one more run to score before getting a ground ball to end the inning and keep the River Bandits (37-22, 82-45) ahead, 8-6. In the ninth inning, the left-handed reliever allowed a one-out single and a two-out walk to put the tying run at first base before a game-ending popout earned Davis his first save since Aug. 15, 2014, with the rookie-level Greeneville Astros.
The River Bandits trailed in the first inning, after a two-out double by third baseman Paul DeJong and RBI single by first baseman Alex De Leon. With a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning, Chiefs left-hander Dewin Perez (2-6) allowed consecutive one-out singles to third baseman Luis Reynoso and Muñiz, who both advanced on a passed ball by catcher Luis Cruz. Center fielder Jason Martin grounded out to first, scoring Reynoso and tying the game, 1-1. Designated hitter Ramon Laureano followed with a double to right-center field that one-hopped over the fence, bringing Muñiz across home plate and giving Quad Cities a 2-1 lead.
In the fourth inning, the River Bandits took advantage of three Chiefs errors, starting with shortstop Oscar Mercado's fielding error on a leadoff ground ball by catcher Trent Woodward. Second baseman Jose Fernandez bunted, and Cruz threw it past Mercado at second base into center field. As Woodward advanced to third base, center fielder Harrison Bader fired a throw toward third base that skipped past DeJong, allowing Fernandez to advance to second base. Quad Cities capitalized with an RBI single by shortstop Kristian Trompiz, plating Woodward, before right fielder Ryan Bottger's sacrifice fly to right field, driving in Fernandez and making it 4-1. Reynoso popped out before Muñiz capped the rally with a two-out, two-run homer to left-center field - his second as a River Bandit and fourth of the season.
The largest lead came with two more runs in the sixth inning. Bottger and Reynoso drew consecutive walks from reliever Steve Sabatino. Muñiz flied out, and Martin struck out, before Laureano drew a walk to load the bases. Sabatino was lifted for left-hander Sasha Kuebel, and left fielder Drew Ferguson bounced a ball over the mound and into center field for two-run single and 8-1 Quad Cities lead.
After the first-inning Chiefs run, River Bandits pitchers kept Peoria off the board for six straight innings, including two scoreless innings by starter Thomas Eshelman, right-hander Jacob Dorris (1-0) in his Midwest League debut, and Elieser Hernandez, who began the sixth inning, and pitched a pair of scoreless innings himself, before getting into trouble in the eighth. With two runners on base and two outs, back-to-back singles by designated hitter Brian O'Keefe and Cruz made it 8-3. Two batters later, second baseman Darren Seferina doubled to right field to score two more runs, forcing Hernandez out after 2 2/3 innings and bringing Davis into the game.
The 82nd win for the River Bandits gives them the third-highest win total in Quad Cities franchise history, trailing only the 1992 Quad City River Bandits, who won 91 games, and the 2010 Quad Cities River Bandits, who won 83. Despite the loss, Peoria clinched a playoff spot by virtue of Beloit's loss to Wisconsin, sending the Chiefs to the playoffs for the first time since 2009.
