Hu pitches Kernels past Bandits

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Andrew Thurman tossed six strong innings but the Quad Cities River Bandits offense struck out 14 times in a 4-2 defeat at the hands of the Cedar Rapids Kernels, who won their season-high seventh game of the season Monday at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Cedar Rapids starter Chih-Wei Hu (6-1) gave up a lone unearned run on three hits over six innings to earn the win. The Taiwanese right-hander struck out eight without walking a batter, and only allowed Quad Cities to put runners in scoring position in one inning. The River Bandits have now fanned 45 times over the last four games, in which they've gone 1-3, losing all three contests by two runs or less.

Shoddy defense helped the Kernels get the scoring started in the second. Thurman got the first two outs of the inning on a strikeout and dribbler back to the mound before a throwing error on Quad Cities shortstop Thomas Lindauer allowed Cedar Rapids center fielder Zack Larson to reach first. A double off the bat of Logan Wade brought Larson all the way around to score the first run of the game. Wade came home when the next batter, J.D. Williams, tripled to right-center to make it 2-0. Both runs were unearned off Thurman (5-9), who took the loss despite fanning seven against zero walks with three runs, one earned, on six hits in six innings.

Quad Cities was able to get on the board in the fifth for the only time against Hu. An error on Cedar Rapids third baseman Jonatan Hinojosa placed J.D. Davis on first. Marc Wik then tried to bunt him over, but popped the ball up in the air. That forced Davis to hold at first, and when the ball dropped to the turf, Hu threw him out at second on a 1-6 fielder's choice. Brett Booth singled to put runners on first and second with one out, and then James Ramsay lifted a double to center to score Wik and cut the Kernels' lead to 2-1. Ramsay finished 2-for-4 with both of Quad Cities' runs batted in.

With Hu out of the game and the score 3-1 Cedar Rapids in the seventh, Quad Cities was helped when Davis reached first on an error, this one by Cedar Rapids second baseman Ryan Walker. Wik struck out, but Davis stole second during Booth's at-bat, which ultimately ended in another strikeouts. Ramsay then singled up the middle to bring home Davis and trim the Cedar Rapids lead to one. However, Cedar Rapids reliever Brandon Bixler got Thoams Lindauer to pop out to second on a 3-2 pitch to end the threat.

Kernels reliever Dallas Gallant gave up a double to Chase McDonald in the eighth, with a wild pitch advancing the River Bandits' designated hitter to third, but struck out A.J. Reed to end the River Bandits' chances in that frame. Gallant fanned both Ryan Bottger, who had entered the game for Davis in the bottom of the seventh and Wik, before yielding a single to Booth with two outs in the ninth. Gallant picked up his fifth save by getting Ramsay on strikes to end the game. 

The Kernels improved to a season-best six games over .500 at 66-60, 34-21 in the second half while Quad Cities dropped to 61-64, 26-30. The River Bandits are scheduled to send Blaine Sims (3-4, 4.30 ERA) to the mound tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. against Cedar Rapids' Kohl Stewart (3-5, 2.42).

UP NEXT: The season's final homestand opens with MidAmerican Energy Day and Family Sunday presented by KWQC and B100 at 1:15 p.m. Aug. 24. Pregame autographs are at 12:30 p.m., Bark in the Park means dogs are welcome to the Modern Woodmen Berm, and Kids Run the Bases after the game. The River Bandits are then home through Aug. 29. Tickets are available at www.riverbandits.com.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: Having just been named Ballpark Digest's winner of Best Ballpark Improvement in America under $1 million, the River Bandits ownership recently made one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 105 feet over the playing field, opened May 24, and Space Camp opened June 20; the newly expanded 300-foot long zip line has also reopened. In 2013, the team unveiled a new 220-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. Last season, the team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The River Bandits were one of three affiliates to reach the championship round and one of two to win their league championship.