Quad Cities celebrates High-A Central crown

With no margin for error and its season on the brink, High-A Quad Cities managed to keep its championship hopes alive with a walk-off victory on Saturday. There was far less drama a day later, but the celebration proved to be even sweeter.

Four hurlers combined on a two-hitter and the River Bandits scored three early runs to help the club take home the High-A Central crown with a 5-0 win over Cedar Rapids at Modern Woodmen Park on Sunday night.

It was the first championship for Quad Cites since 2017 and its third in the last eight seasons overall.

After Logan Porter kept his team alive with a walk-off homer in the ninth inning a night earlier, the Royals' prospect got things going in the opening frame in Game 5 with an RBI single. John Rave followed with an RBI double and the River Bandits were off and running. Nick Loftin extended the lead to 3-0 with an run-scoring knock in the third. It was the only hit in the game for the No. 10 Royals prospect, who finished his first postseason 6-for-21 (.286) with a homer an four RBIs.

Tucker Bradley went deep in the fourth and tacked on the fifth and final run with a sacrifice fly an inning later.

Buoyed by the early three-run lead, starter A.J. Block was sharp, limiting Cedar Rapids to a single and a walk while striking out five in 3 2/3 innings. The Kernels had their chances against the River Bandits' bullpen. Cedar Rapids put the leadoff man on in three straight innings -- all on walks -- including the first two batters in the sixth and seventh. However, the trio of Zach Haake, Caden Monke and Nathan Webb were able to extricate themselves from trouble en route to the championship.

Michael Helman singled and DaShawn Keirsey doubles for the only Kernels' hits.

Making his first appearance for Cedar Rapids since Sept. 14, Cody Laweryson retired one batter in the first inning before he was removed. The 22-year-old threw just 10 of his 26 pitches for strikes and was charged with two runs, two hits and two walks.