Cedar Rapids Falls in Postseason Opener

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - In the first game of the Midwest League Quarterfinals, the Cedar Rapids Kernels lost to the Quad Cities River Bandits, 4-1, Wednesday at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The rest of this best-of-three series will be hosted by Quad Cities at Modern Woodmen Park.
Alex McKenna gave the River Bandits a 1-0 lead in the second inning. His two-out infield single extended the frame, and he reached third base on a stolen base coupled with an error. McKenna scored the go-ahead run via wild pitch.

Tyler Webb and the Kernels tied the contest at 1-1 within the third. Webb led off by hitting a solo home run over the left-field wall.
Quad Cities regained the lead, 2-1, during the top of the fifth. Back-to-back singles from McKenna and Alex Holderbach put runners at the corners. Ramiro Rodriguez drove in McKenna with a sacrifice fly.
The River Bandits extended their advantage to 4-1 in the eighth inning. Wilyer Abreu's one-out double allowed Grae Kessinger and Oscar Campos to come home.
Valente Bellozo notched six strikeouts in as many innings and yielded just one run while picking up the win within a quality start. Luis De Paula and Layne Henderson combined for scoreless relief to earn the hold and the save, respectively.
Luis Rijo also posted six total innings with six strikeouts for a quality start but gave up two runs including one unearned run in a losing decision. Wednesday's defeat snapped a 10-game Kernels win streak in Midwest League Quarterfinals contests dating back to 2014.
This best-of-three quarterfinal series will continue Thursday at 6:35 p.m. at Modern Woodmen Park. Kernels right-hander Matt Canterino (1-1, 1.35) and River Bandits right-hander Brett Daniels (7-6, 2.10) are the probable pitchers, and Chris Kleinhans-Schulz will have the call on 1450 KMRY AM and 93.1 KMRY FM and also online at www.kmryradio.com and www.kernels.com.
Tickets for any future Cedar Rapids Kernels home games during the Midwest League playoffs will become available as needed at the Kernels Ticket Office, www.kernels.com, and (319) 896-7560.