Bandits Bring the Lumber, Beat Snappers 8-3

Quad Cities 8 Beloit 3 - Friday
WP: Valdez (1-0)
LP: Milburn (2-5)
S: Perez (1)
Time: 2:45
Attn: 1,211
Beloit and Quad Cities opened a critical series to clear up the Western Division playoff picture, and the River Bandits took game one. Beloit lost no ground on the wild card slot due to a loss by Kane County, but Quad Cities is now just one game out of a playoff spot. The loss bumps the Snappers back to an even .500 for the first time since losing the final game of May against Clinton.
The Snappers got an early jolt from Luis Barrera with a triple high off the batters eye to start the Snappers half of the first and was brought home on an RBI single by Luke Persico. J.C. Rodriguez set up the Snappers next score in the fourth when he ripped a leadoff double down the left field line and scored on a sac fly Jason Goldstein.
Carmen Benedetti hit the first of seven Quad Cities extra-base hits on a two-run, two-out double in the third. The Bandits used two more doubles in the fourth to extend their lead to 3-1. The Bandits hit two more doubles included the second of the game by Ronnie Dawson during their four-run seventh. All four runs off Snappers reliever Seth Martinez were unearned, plus Chuckie Robinson's two-run homer.
Persico went 3-for-4 with a stolen base, his 14th multi-hit game of the year to boost his Pohlman Field batting average to .378. Matt Milburn recorded seven strikeouts and threw six innings in a starting effort, both season highs for the Dallas native despite taking the losing decision.

Box Score:https://www.milb.com/gameday/river-bandits-vs-snappers/2017/06/09/499271?#game_state=final,game_tab=box,game=499271
Team Records: Quad Cities (31-28), Beloit (30-30)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:00 p.m. vs. Quad Cities River Bandits at Pohlman Field
Probable Pitchers: Quad Cities RHP Carlos Sanabria (2-2, 5.29 ERA) vs. Beloit RHP LHP Dalton Sawyer (4-3, 2.25 ERA)
The First Half is winding down and the Beloit Snappers are in the thick of the Western Division championship race. See the Snappers pursue the playoffs this June at Pohlman Field through Sunday, June 18th. There will be postgame fireworks on Saturday, June 10 and June 17. The Snappers will hand out rally towels on June 16 and this season's first bobblehead of Bruce Maxwell will our giveaway on Father's Day, June 18. Tickets for these events at Pohlman Field and all individual game tickets can be found here.