Bandits Turn Big Break into Big Inning, Beat Bees 7-2

The Quad Cities River Bandits took advantage of a fortunate bounce before putting up six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to beat the Burlington Bees 7-2 on Friday night in front of 3,466 fans at Modern Woodmen Park. The Bees nearly turned a double play on a fly ball to right while leading 2-1 with a man on third in the Bandits half of the fifth that would have ended the inning. However, while trying to tag the runner at the plate, the ball popped out of catcher Harrison Wenson's mitt and set the stage for the big inning.
Wenson had originally given the Bees a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning. The long ball was the first hit of the game for Burlington and his seventh round-tripper of the season.
The River Bandits (5-2, 48-25) answered back to tie the game in the bottom half. Alex McKenna opened the frame with a base hit to center and scored on a single by Michael Wielansky after stealing second base to even the score at 1-1.

Burlington (2-6, 41-37) regained the lead in the top of the next inning. River Bandits starter Jonathan Bermudez departed the game after issuing a pair of one-out walks. Right-hander Cody Deason entered and after recording one out, issued a walk of his own to load the bases. In the next at bat, a wild pitch allowed Alvaro Rubalcaba to score from third and put the Bees on top 2-1.
Quad Cities tied the game on Ramiro Rodriguez's sacrifice fly to right when Lacroix knocked the ball free from Wenson in the home half of the fifth. The Bandits took control by pounding out four more hits in the inning, including two doubles, and scored six runs to jump on top 7-2. McKenna, Cesar Salazar, Wielansky and Freudis Nova tacked on runs-scoring hits in four consecutive at bats to do most of the damage. Burlington ended up using three pitchers to get through the frame.
Cody Deason earned the victory for the River Bandits by striking out 10 over 4.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Bermudez collected eight strikeouts of his own and allowed two runs on just one hit in 4.1 innings. Wenson tallied the only two hits that the Bees mustered in the game.
McKenna, Salazar and Wielansky all collected two hits for the River Bandits. Wielansky drove in a pair for his 20^th and 21^st RBI of the season. All nine players in the batting order reached base safely at least once.
The River Bandits will hit the road to open a three-game series in Clinton on Saturday night. RHP R.J. Freure (4-2, 3.54) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Bandits. Clinton will call on RHP Tyler Mitzel (4-3, 2.81). First pitch at NelsonCorp Field is slated for 6:30 p.m.
All River Bandits games are broadcast on 1170 K-BOB and TuneIn Radio. Home games are also available with video on MiLB.TV.