Bandits Take Rivertown Showdown Opener
After Chiefs reliever Kyler Burke tossed four scoreless innings in relief of starter Benjamin Wells, Peoria (2-2) brought in Bryce Shafer (0-1) for the ninth inning. Shafer loaded the bases with a walk and two hit batters before River Bandits catcher Juan Castillo hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Tyler Rahmatulla with the go-ahead run. Shortstop Matt Williams followed with an RBI single to right that widened the lead to 5-3. Two batters later, Anthony Garcia, who entered the game an inning earlier as a pinch runner for Roberto De La Cruz, capped the rally with a three-run double to left field that opened an 8-3 lead for the Quad Cities (2-2).
Logan Billbrough pitched a perfect ninth inning, including strikeouts of the final two batters, to preserve the win for Brandon Creath (1-0). Creath entered with runners at first and second and one out in the seventh and kept the game tied 3-3 by striking out Taiwan Easterling and getting Reggie Golden to pop out. Creath allowed one hit and struck out three batters in 1 2/3 shutout innings but had to work with a runner in scoring position in the seventh and the eighth.
The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the first inning with the help of two River Bandits errors. Quad Cities right fielder David Medina hit a game-tying single in the second, and later broke a 2-2 tie with an RBI double in the fourth. Medina finished 3-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored.
Peoria tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly by Paul Hoilman, the last batter to face Quad Cities starter Sam Gaviglio, who made his first start and allowed three runs - two earned - on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. Robert Stock came on to get Easterling to ground into a fielder's choice to end the fifth.
Neither team scored again until the ninth, although the River Bandits had a runner in scoring position in the seventh and eighth, and Peoria had similar threats in the sixth, seventh and eighth.
The series continues on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., when left-handers Kyle Hald and Willengton Cruz make their first starts of the season for the Quad Cities and Peoria, respectively.
UP NEXT: The River Bandits will return to Modern Woodmen Park to host the Clinton LumberKings Monday, April 16, at 7 p.m. for the first Buck Night of the season presented by Klement's and 97X. A full menu of $1 items will be available. Get your tickets now to watch the River Bandits in 2012. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at (563) 3-BANDIT and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: After four years of ballpark improvements, the River Bandits and the City of Davenport last summer unveiled some of the most impressive enhancements to Modern Woodmen Park yet. A brand new, state of the art, high definition 20' x 35' video board went live on June 7, and the newly enclosed glass Sky Deck on the suite level of Modern Woodmen Park was completed last August. Those improvements, in addition to new flood protection, a new front plaza, and a new parking lot directly across the street from the ballpark, are quickly making Modern Woodmen Park one of the premier facilities in all of Minor League Baseball. More improvements are scheduled for this coming season!