Quad Cities cracks walkoff homer to beat Wisconsin

DAVENPORT, IA - Virgil Hill beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers with his feet on in the bottom of the ninth inning on Friday night. The Quad Cities River Bandits outfielder beat the Rattlers with his bat on Sunday. Hill hit a two-run 'walkoff' home run in the bottom of the ninth at Modern Woodmen Park for a 4-2 win over Wisconsin.

Quad Cities (35-34) took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Luis Mateo. The inning started with a four pitch walk to Anthony Garcia. David Medina's double put runners on second and third with no outs. Mateo followed with a single to score Garcia, but Rattlers starting pitcher David Goforth got out of the inning without allowing another run.

An unlikely Rattler tied the game with a home run. John Dishon launched an 0-2 pitch with two outs in the top of the fifth inning to the grass seating beyond the wall in left-center. The homer was the first of the season for Dishon.

The Bandits went back in front in the bottom of the fifth inning. Colin Walsh knocked in his 56th run of the season with a two-out single.

Jason Rogers, Wisconsin's team leader in RBI, evened the game again with a double into the corner in left. Brandon Macias scored all the way from first on the play to give Rogers his 43rd RBI of the season.

In the ninth, Mateo started the game winning rally with a leadoff single against reliever Chad Pierce. Hill, who scored the winning run from first base on a throwing error in the ninth inning of the River Bandits' walkoff win on Friday night, was up to bunt Mateo into scoring position.

However, Hill fouled the first two bunt attempts. Then, he swung and fouled the next two pitches from Pierce off to stay alive in his at bat.

Hill cracked the next pitch to the base of the a pillar that holds up the scoreboard at the top of the grass seating area in left-center for the game winning homer.

Wisconsin finishes the first half with a record of 44-25. That is the second best record for a half in franchise history. The Rattlers are also playoff bound for the first time since 2005 after they claimed a spot before eventually winning the first half Western Division last week.

The Timber Rattlers are off until Midwest League play resumes on Friday, June 22. Wisconsin will face the Burlington Bees at Community Field in Burlington, Iowa to start a three game series on Friday night at 6:30pm.

Wisconsin's next home game is Monday, June 25 when they host the Quad Cities River Bandits at 7:05pm.

HOME RUNS:
WIS:
John Dishon (1st, 0 on in 5th inning off Kyle Hald, 2 out)

QC:
Virgil Hill (4th, 1 on in 9th inning off Chad Pierce, 0 out)

WP: Ethan Cole (2-0)
LP: Chad Pierce (1-1)

TIME: 2:28
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