Cougars take down Bandits in back-and-forth series finale
A long night started with Quad Cities right-hander Tyrell Jenkins leaving the game after his first pitch to the third batter of the game. Jenkins struck out the first two batters but grabbed his right side following a strike to Cougars designated hitter Daniel Mateo. He left the game and was still being evaluated as of Friday night.
Left-hander Jonathan Cornelius entered to retire Mateo, but he allowed the first six Kane County runs - one in the second inning, two in the third and three in the fourth. The Cougars had four straight hits in both the third and fourth innings.
Trailing 6-0, the River Bandits (29-31 second half, 64-65 overall) scored four runs against Cougars right-hander Aaron Brooks in the fifth inning. Right fielder Nick Martini hit an RBI triple to left-center field, and catcher Casey Rasmus added an RBI single. Designated hitter Stephen Piscotty doubled home the last of four runs. He had extended his career-high hitting streak to 13 games in the first inning.
Left-hander Rudy Brown relieved Brooks after five innings and allowed Quad Cities to take the lead in the seventh. Second baseman Colin Walsh hit an RBI double, Piscotty had an RBI groundout, and third baseman Anthony Melchionda hit a two-out, go-ahead single for a 7-6 River Bandits lead. But right-hander Ricky Martinez gave Kane County the lead back in the eighth inning on the game-tying RBI single by first baseman Dean Espy, who finished with a game-high four of the 19 hits by the Cougars (30-30, 64-66).
Quad Cities took a 10-7 lead in the eighth inning, as left fielder Anthony Garcia reached on an infield single and went to second base on third baseman Michael Antonio's throwing error. Between first and second, he pulled up with an apparent left leg injury and was driven off the field in the back of a golf cart. His injury was also being evaluated Friday night. Garcia exited for pinch runner Luis Mateo, who scored the go-ahead run on a two-run triple by Martini against right-hander Jose Brazoban (1-0).
In the ninth, Barraclough gave up a two-run double to second baseman Justin Trapp to make it 10-9. Trapp scored the tying run after a groundout by shortstop Jack Lopez to first baseman David Medina, who tried to throw out Trapp at third base after stepping on first for the second out. The error brought in the tying run, and right-hander Heath Wyatt (4-7) allowed a Daniel Mateo single and balked him to second base. Espy then hit an infield single to second baseman Luis Mateo, who threw the ball into the first-base dugout to bring in the go-ahead run. The River Bandits were set down in order in the ninth inning by right-hander Andrew Triggs for his third save.
The River Bandits fell one game behind Kane County and four games behind Burlington for the final second-half playoff spot in the Midwest League Western Division. Quad Cities begins a four-game road series with the first-place Clinton LumberKings at 6 p.m. Saturday night. River Bandits right-hander Sam Gaviglio (8-8) is scheduled to face LumberKings right-hander Jordan Pries (3-0).
UP NEXT: Wednesday, Aug. 29, will be Gluttony Night at Modern Woodmen Park, and for just $15, fans can receive a berm ticket and unlimited hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn and nachos at the Moline Market. Presidential bobbleheads will also be given away courtesy of WQAD-TV. It's the final Pay Your Bill Wednesday presented by Mix 96. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-322-6348 (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!