Bandits Surrender Late-Inning Lead, Drop Series to Wisconsin

Davenport, Iowa – The Quad Cities River Bandits suffered their 20th loss of the season after squandering a three-run eighth-inning lead in an 8-7 defeat to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Saturday at Modern Woodmen Park.

Quad Cities right-hander Kasey Kalich took the loss and a blown save after allowing four earned runs on three hits, while walking three and striking out one over 2.0 innings. Wisconsin right-hander Zach Mort earned the win in 3.0 innings of relief, where he allowed one earned run on one hit while walking none and striking out two batters.

The Bandits took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a solo home run from center fielder Peyton Wilson off T-Ratts’ starter TJ Shook. The long ball was one of four solo homers for Quad Cities on the night.

Wisconsin answered in the top of the second inning on a bases-loaded RBI groundout by shortstop Antonio Pinero off Q.C. starter Noah Murdock to tie the game. The T-Ratts scored again on a two-out RBI single by second baseman Tyler Black to take a 2-1 lead.

Another Bandits solo home run off the bat of right fielder Juan Carlos Negret tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the second. First baseman Dillan Shrum followed Negret’s at-bat with a double and would move to third on a sac-fly by third baseman Cam Williams. A two-out wild pitch from Shook allowed Shrum to score and give Quad Cities a 3-2 lead after two innings of play.

Murdock retired six-straight batters in the next two frames to keep the Bandits’ one-run lead intact heading into the bottom of the fourth when Q.C. would extend their advantage. Shrum got the scoring started with a solo home run, followed by a single from Williams and an RBI triple from second baseman Morgan McCullough against Shook to make it a 5-2 game.

The Wisconsin right-hander walked Bandits’ shortstop Tyler Tolbert who stole second base on the following pitch to put runners in scoring position with two outs. The swiped bag marked Tolbert’s 14th steal on the year (tied 2nd Midwest League).

Despite the Wisconsin infield drawn in, a hard ground ball off the bat of Wilson to Black forced the Wisconsin second baseman to make the out at first, retiring Wilson and adding another run to give the Bandits a 6-2 lead at the end of four innings. That marked the end of the night for Shook who finished with 4.0 innings pitched and allowed six earned runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out four batters.

A leadoff walk to T-Ratts right fielder Joe Gray Jr. and hit-by-pitch of Black would come around to score for Wisconsin on an RBI double by third baseman Zavier Warren off Murdock to end the night for the Bandits right-hander, who finished with 4.1 innings and four earned runs on five hits, one walk and four strikeouts.

Quad Cities’ manager Brooks Conrad made a move to the bullpen for lefty Chris Chamberlain who allowed a sac-fly from left fielder Tristan Peters to trim the Bandits’ lead to 6-4 in the top of the fifth. Chamberlain struck out designated hitter Darrien Miller to end the frame.

The Bandits were set down in order in the bottom of the fifth by new Wisconsin pitcher Zach Mort and Chamberlain did the same to the tune of two strikeouts in the top of the 6th inning.

Another solo home run from Cam Williams (8, tied 3rd Midwest League) with one out in the bottom of the sixth gave the Bandits a 7-4 lead, but it’s all Q.C. would manage off Mort in the frame.

Both teams went down in order in the 7th, with Chamberlain adding another strikeout to his night. The inning would be the lefty’s last after throwing 2.2 innings and allowing no runs or hits while walking none and striking out four.

Kalich took the mound in the top of the 8th inning and ran into trouble from the start after issuing a leadoff double to Warren. The righty would get Peters to ground out to second, advancing Warren to third, but Kalich would hit the following batter, Miller, and walk catcher Wes Clark and center fielder Carlos Rodridguez with the bases loaded to bring in a run for Wisconsin, trimming the lead 7-5.

Wisconsin continued their rally with a two-run double by Rodridguez to tie the game and would take the lead in the next at-bat on a run-scoring sac-fly to make it an 8-7 ballgame. After issuing a walk to the next batter Pinero, Kalich got out of top of the 8th after inducing a lineout by Black.

The T-Ratts called on right-hander Cam Robinson in the bottom of the eighth who struck out the Bandits’ side in order: Burle Dixon, Juan Carlos Negret and Strum, respectively.

Kalich tossed a scoreless top of the ninth without allowing a baserunner to keep the Bandits trailing 8-7 entering the final inning. Still facing Robinson, Quad Cities got a rally going with a one-out double by McCullough, but the Bandits second baseman was left stranded on a Tolbert ground out and Wilson strikeout to end the game.

The loss marks the fourth of the series for the Bandits who look to bounce back in the finale tomorrow. Taking the bump for Q.C. will be right-hander Anderson Paulino (0-5, 7.06) going up against Wisconsin lefty Brandon Knarr (4-1, 1.62).

First pitch between the River Bandits and Timber Rattlers is scheduled for 1:00pm at Modern Woodmen Park.