Bandits' power, pitching gain series win
Quad Cities River Bandits first baseman Jacob Nottingham hit a second-inning solo home run, center fielder Derek Fisher hit a third-inning, two-run home run, and right-hander Joshua James tossed four scoreless relief innings to earn the win in his team's 4-2, rubber match victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels in front of 2,808 at Modern Woodmen Park Thursday night.
Finishing April with its best 21-game start since 2001, Quad Cities (15-6) maintained a two-game lead in first place of the Midwest League Western Division standings over Burlington (13-8). In the three games against Cedar Rapids, River Bandits pitchers allowed three runs - all unearned - in 29 innings, and they have not allowed an earned run in the last 36 innings since the fifth inning in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader against Burlington.
On Thursday, Kernels center fielder Zack Granite led off the game against River Bandits right-hander Brock Dykxhoorn with a ground-ball double down the third-base line and went to third base when shortstop Nick Gordon grounded out. Dykxhoorn escaped the jam by striking out designated hitter Zack Larson and getting left fielder Trey Vavra on a popout caught by Nottingham along the first-base dugout railing.
In the second inning, Kernels right fielder Max Murphy hit a leadoff double to left-center field, but Dykxhoorn struck out third baseman T.J. White, and catcher Brett Doe lined out to third baseman Alex Hernandez. Dykxhoorn did not allow a Kernels runner in scoring position through the third and fourth innings, getting help from a double play.
Nottingham opened the scoring with one out in the bottom of the second inning, when he hammered a 3-0 pitch from right-hander John Curtiss (2-1) to the Miller Lite Party Deck in right field for his fourth home run of the season, which momentarily tied him with Fisher for the team and league lead. In the third inning, catcher Jamie Ritchie hit a one-out single and stole second base before Fisher ended an 11-pitch battle with Curtiss by sending his league-leading fifth home run over the right-center field wall for a 3-0 Quad Cities lead.
The Kernels (12-9) snapped a 13-inning scoreless streak by Quad Cities pitchers in the fifth inning. Doe led off with a double, and with one out left fielder Zack Granite grounded to second baseman Mott Hyde, whose errant throw allowed Granite to reach first base and Doe to score. With a 3-1 lead, Dykxhoorn was removed for right-hander Jose Montero. When Granite stole second base, Ritchie's throw went into center field, allowing Granite to reach third base, and Gordon's groundout scored Granite to cut the lead to 3-2. Both runs were unearned against Dykxhoorn, who allowed three hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
After Curtiss yielded three earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts in the first four innings, Kernels left-hander Sam Clay began the bottom of the fifth inning with a 3-2 deficit. Shortstop Kristian Trompiz worked a leadoff walk, and Clay's high school teammate and fellow Buford, Ga., native Jamie Ritchie lined an 0-2 single through the middle for his game-high third hit. A walk to Fisher loaded the bases, before designated hitter Nick Tanielu grounded out to second base to bring in Trompiz. Then Hyde, Clay's college teammate at Georgia Tech, drew a full-count walk to reload the bases before Clay got Nottingham to ground out and end the inning.
James (1-0) began the sixth inning with a 4-2 lead and allowed a leadoff infield single to the left side by Kernels first baseman Tyler Kuresa, who went to second base on a passed ball. But James responded by retiring the next 11 Kernels in order and 12 of 13 to finish the game. Doe was hit by a pitch with two outs in the ninth inning before James struck out second baseman Jonatan Hinojosa to end the game. James allowed only one hit and hit one batter while striking out five in four shutout innings.
The River Bandits begin a six-game road trip Friday with a three-game series against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in Grand Chute, Wis. River Bandits left-hander Chris Lee (0-2) is scheduled to face Timber Rattlers right-hander Victor Diaz (0-1) in the 6:35 p.m. opener.
UP NEXT: The River Bandits will give away five new Mini Rita Grills next Thursday on Rita de Mayo presented by Bud Light and 7G Distributing. The amusement rides will open on Total Turf and Landscape Night and a Thirst-Day with $2 drink specials presented by 104.9 The Hawk, ESPN 93.5 and the River Cities' Reader. IHMVCU members can purchase buy-one-get-one free tickets at the box office. 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.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits ownership in 2014 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, Space Camp opened June 20; the new Drop'N Twist debuted in July; and the newly expanded 300-foot long zip line also reopened.