Quad Cities Holds Kernels to Two Hits, Take Series Opener 7-0 

Davenport, IA – Quad Cities pitching combined to hold the Cedar Rapids offense to just two hits Tuesday night, as the River Bandits take the series opener over the Kernels 7-0.

After mustering just a single run in the 2-1 series finale loss on Sunday, the Kernels again struggled to get on the scoreboard Tuesday. After a scoreless top of the first inning, Quad Cities took advantage and got on the board first in the bottom half. After an error, walk and a strikeout, two were on with one out for Juan Carlos Negret. The Quad Cities home run leader crushed a three-run home run over the wall in left field to give the River Bandits the early 3-0 edge.

QC tallied on one more in the bottom of the second. After a single and a double put two in scoring position, Jean Ramirez notched his first high-A RBI on a safety squeeze to extend the River Bandits' lead to 4-0.

In the fifth frame, Negret struck again. With one out, the outfielder lifted a high fly ball just over the wall in the left field for a solo home run to open the Quad Cities lead to 5-0.

In the sixth, two walks and a River Town single produced Quad Cities’ sixth run, then a wild pitch pushed home its seventh to open the lead to 7-0.

John Stankiewicz and John Wilson were the bright spots in the Kernels in the defeat. The pair combined to throw 2.2 scoreless innings allowing just one hit while picking up four strikeouts, but the offense notched just two hits, matching a season low, and the 7-0 score would stay as the final.

The loss for the Kernels (63-40) is their second in a row and fourth in shutout fashion this season. Game two of the series with Quad Cities (45-58) is set for tomorrow night at 6:30, with Kyle Jones on the mound for Cedar Rapids against Cruz Noriega.