River Bandits Walk-Off LumberKings, 9-8
Davenport, IA - The LumberKings offense did just about all it could do on Monday night in Davenport. But a reoccurring theme took place as the bullpen faltered and Quad Cities sent Clinton to its third straight loss with a 9-8 walk-off victory at Modern Woodmen Park.
Clinton pounded out 16 hits, five of those going for extra-bases. It wasn't enough as the bullpen allowed seven runs in four innings.
Starter Matt Anderson battled through five innings and left the game with a 6-2 lead. Gaby Guerrero's RBI single in the top of the sixth upped the LumberKings lead to 7-2.
Quad Cities got two back in the bottom half on a run-scoring double by Brett Phillips and a RBI groundout from Jordan Scott.
In the seventh, Clinton third baseman Jordy Lara hit an opposite-field home run to give Clinton some breathing room at 8-4. It was Lara's second in as many days and team-leading eighth of the year.
The River Bandits came back with two more in their half of the seventh. Brian Blasik hit a sacrifice fly to make it 8-5 and Roberto Pena raced home to bring Quad Cities within two after a throwing error by pitcher David Holman.
Clinton left runners on base in the eighth and ninth and the lead remained 8-6 to start the bottom of the ninth inning. Mark Bordonaro entered the game and promptly walked Rio Ruiz. Back-to-back singles by Pena and Austin Elkins scored Ruiz and brought the 'Bandits within one at 8-7.
With Pena at second and Elkins at first, Blasik dropped down a bunt that Bordonaro bobbled for an error. It loaded the bases with nobody out for Brett Phillips who lined a base hit to right to make it 8-8. The next batter Teoscar Hernandez lifted a fly ball just shy of the warning track in left, plenty deep enough to score Elkins with the winning run.
The series continues on Tuesday in Davenport. Clinton sends left-hander Scott DeCecco (5-6, 4.27) to the mound against Quad Cities' right-hander Lance McCullers (4-4, 2.07). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM CT at Modern Woodmen Park.