Bandits’ Bats Quieted in Loss to Chiefs

Davenport, Iowa – The River Bandits totaled just one run on two hits Wednesday, as they fell to the Peoria Chiefs 5-1 at Modern Woodmen Park.

While Drew Beam retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced, Peoria got what it needed against Quad Cities’ starter in the second and took a 2-0 lead on Michael Curialle’s RBI-double. Two batters later, Jon Jon Gazdar made the Bandits pay for their first of two errors and doubled the Chiefs’ lead to 4-0 with an RBI-triple.

A two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth got Quad Cities onto the board against Chiefs’ starter Gerardo Salas, as Carson Roccaforte’s walk and steal of second set up Trevor Werner’s RBI-double, but that hit would wind up the River Bandits’ last.

Peoria tagged Juan Martinez for an insurance on Joshua Baez’s RBI-double in the eighth, but the lead was already more than enough for D.J. Carpenter (1.0 IP), Benjamin Arias (2.2 IP, hold), and Hunter Hayes (1.1 IP, save), who combined for 4.1-scoreless innings to close out the game out of the Chiefs’ bullpen

Zachary Cawyer highlighted Quad Cities relief efforts and turned in his fifth-straight scoreless appearance to open the year and collected a pair of strikeouts in the top of the ninth.

Salas struck out four and allowed one run over his 4.0-inning start, but it was Carpenter (1-0) who earned his first win of the season with a perfect fifth inning. Beam (1-1) was saddled with the loss despite completing his second straight quality start.

Quad Cities returns to Modern Woodmen Park for game three of the six-game set Thursday and sends Hunter Patteson (1-0, 0.54) to the mound against Peoria’s Cade Winquest (0-1, 4.15). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.