Chiefs’ Late Rally Steals Win in Series Finale

Peoria, Illinois – The Quad Cities River Bandits (53-51, 23-18) took a three-run lead into the bottom of the seventh inning Sunday, but fell to the Peoria Chiefs (53-54, 20-21) 9-8 at Dozer Park.

After a scoreless first frame, both clubs scored in the second through fourth innings, with Hyungchan Um delivering an RBI-single in the top of the second for Quad Cities before Jose Suarez tied it with an RBI-double in the bottom half.

Chris Brito made Chiefs’ starter Jacob Odle pay for walks of Zion Rose and Blake Mitchell in the top of the third, plating both for a 3-1 Bandits lead.

Peoria cut its deficit back to one via Michael Dattalo’s RBI-single in the bottom of the third, the final frame pitched by Quad Cities’ starter Jordan Woods.

Back-to-back singles from Angel Acosta and Um knocked Odle from the game two batters into the fourth. Stone Russell the greeted Trey Pooser with his first River Bandits’ hit, an RBI-double before the very next hitter, Erick Torres, blasted Quad Cities ahead 7-2 with a three-run homer, his second long ball of the summer.

RBI-doubles from Ian Petrutz and Brayden Smith got three of the runs back for Peoria in the bottom of the third, but Bandits’ left-hander Rob Hensey rebounded with a scoreless fifth and sixth to keep his club ahead.

Bobby Olen also held Quad Cities out of the run column in the sixth, however QC went up 8-5 in the seventh via Derlin Figueroa’s team-leading 23rd homer of the season. The mark ties John Harris’s 1977 effort for the second-most home runs in a single season by a River Bandits’ hitter in club history.

Peoria began its rally in the next half-inning with Alex Birge’s RBI-single taking advantage of Nick Conte’s two walks, two hit batsmen, and two wild pitches.

Right-hander Aiden Jimenez limited the damage to one, stranding the bases loaded and ending the frame with the Bandits ahead 8-6, but the Chiefs brought eight men to the plate against the righty in the eighth and took the lead on Tristan Bissett’s RBI-single, Yordalin Pena’s RBI-double, and Dattalo’s sacrifice fly.

After Zeke Wood kept Quad Cities out of the run column in the eighth, Nelfy Ynfante did so in the ninth and stranded by the tying and go-ahead runs on base to secure Peoria’s second win of the week.

Wood (1-0) earned the win in his second appearance as a Chief this season, while Jimenez (2-4) was charged with the loss and a blown save, allowing three runs on four hits, one walk, and three strikeouts over 1.1 innings out of the bullpen.

Despite the loss in, Quad Cities claimed the series by taking four of the week’s first five games and remains 1.5 games back of the Beloit Sky Carp for first place in the Midwest League West.

The River Bandits return to action Tuesday, August 11, and kick off a six-game homestand against the Fort Wayne TinCaps at Modern Woodmen Park. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.