Two-out runs vault Bandits over Clinton

Left fielder Drew Ferguson was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and his first professional triple, and starter Agapito Barrios allowed three runs on four hits, striking out four batters and walking one in five innings of work, as the Quad Cities River Bandits won a 6-3 season series finale over the Clinton LumberKings in front of 2,274 at Modern Woodmen Park Wednesday night.

Ferguson, who finished 5-for-11 in three games against Clinton, singled and scored in the first, tripled home a run in the second, and drove in a run with a single in the fourth, before later scoring on a base hit. His three hits matched a career high.

The River Bandits (36-22 second half, 81-45 overall) finished the season series with Clinton (15-43, 41-86) by winning their 11th game in 17 meetings between the two teams, but they did so by overcoming an early LumberKings lead and scoring all their runs with two outs.

Clinton got a run in the top of the first inning against Barrios (2-1), beginning with a leadoff double by shortstop Brock Hebert, who advanced to third base on a groundout by center fielder Austin Cousino. Left fielder Gianfranco Wawoe then hit a line drive to shallow left-center that forced River Bandits center fielder Bobby Boyd to make a diving catch to rob Wawoe of extra bases, but allowed Hebert to score easily on the sacrifice fly, putting the LumberKings ahead 1-0.

In the bottom half of the inning against Clinton starter Lukas Schiraldi (4-12), Boyd led off with a single, followed by Ferguson's first hit to center field. Third baseman Nick Tanielu grounded a ball back to Schiraldi that the pitcher threw to third base to force out Boyd and keep runners at first and second bases with one out. First baseman Bryan Muñiz flied out to center field for the second out, and Ferguson reached third base. With right fielder Ramon Laureano batting, Tanielu ran for second base as Schiraldi threw the first of his three wild pitches in the game, scoring Ferguson. Laureano walked, bringing designated hitter Jason Martin to the plate with runners on first and second. Martin singled to right, scoring Tanielu, and after right fielder Estarlyn Morales threw wildly to third base in an attempt to throw out Laureano, the ball caromed off of the screen of the third-base dugout, allowing Laureano to score and make it 3-1.

River Bandits catcher Garrett Stubbs singled to start the second inning, advanced to second base after Boyd's groundout for the second out, and scored on Ferguson's triple to right-center field for the River Bandits' fourth run.

Quad Cities opened its largest lead with two more runs in the fourth inning. Stubbs drew a leadoff walk, and with shortstop Kristian Trompiz batting, Stubbs stole second base while Trompiz struck out. Boyd grounded out to advance Stubbs to third base, before Ferguson singled back up the middle to score Stubbs. With Tanielu batting, Ferguson stole second base to get himself into scoring position, and Tanielu singled to center field, scoring Ferguson, and putting Quad Cities ahead, 6-1.

Clinton got two runs back in the top of the fifth inning on a two-run home run to right field by catcher Wayne Taylor over the right-field wall to make it 6-3. But the River Bandits bullpen kept the LumberKings quiet the rest of the game, as Steve Naemark pitched two innings of one-hit relief, and Angel Heredia struck out a pair and allowed one hit in his two innings for his 10th save of the season.

The River Bandits host Peoria for a three-game series beginning Thursday at 7 p.m. Right-hander and Astros 2015 second-round pick Thomas Eshelman (0-0, 5.40) is scheduled to make his Modern Woodmen Park debut against Chiefs left-hander Dewin Perez (2-5, 5.89). 

UP NEXT: Nine fans will be winners in the Mega Tablet Giveaway presented by Video Games ETC! Arch Rivals Tattoo will offer free River Bandits logo tattoos (fans with Bandits tattoos get free berm tickets for the entire 2016 season!) Gates open at 6 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game on a Thirst-Day with $2 drinks presented by 104.9 The Hawk, ESPN 93.5 and the River Cities' Reader. 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: With the installation of the Ferris Wheel, 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, and this year the club is matching that effort by opening three new areas. A two-tiered special group deck immediately behind and overlooking the corn field opened in June. A new 11,000-square-foot concourse expansion down the third-base line will open late August. Finally, the club has expanded the children's play area by an additional 5,500 square feet down the right-field line, with additional bounce houses and the newest ride - Spin Zone Bumper Cars - as the latest attraction.