Bandits Lose Late Lead, Win Streak on Wednesday 

Appleton, Wisconsin – The Quad Cities River Bandits took a two-run lead into the eighth inning on Wednesday, but couldn’t overcome Wisconsin’s four-run frame and saw their three-game winning streak come to an end with a 4-2 loss at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

The first five innings of the game featured zero offense, thanks to the efforts of Rylan Kaufman and Zach Mort, who traded zeroes despite combining for just five strikeouts.

Kaufman allowed a season-high five walks including a pair in the bottom of the fourth to load the bases, but got Arbert Cipion to bounce out to avoid damage.

Only once did Quad Cities get more than one runner on in an innings against Mort, who stranded three men in scoring position in his longest outing of the season.

In the sixth, the Bandits finally broke through against newly entered Robbie Baker, who allowed a pair of singles to Luca Tresh and Diego Hernandez to open the inning before a two-run double into the left field corner off the bat of Dillan Shrum gave Quad Cities the first lead of the game, 2-0.

For the sixth and seventh, Q.C. turned to Emilio Marquez out of the bullpen, who struck out four in two perfect innings, but hit a wall in the eighth, walking the first three T-Rats to step to the plate against him in the frame.

With the bases loaded and no one out, Brooks Conrad opted to turn to Anderson Paulino, who allowed a game-tying two-run double to Joe Gray Jr. before the next batter, Zavier Warren put Wisconsin on top 4-2 with a two-run knock of his own.

The Bandits didn’t go quietly in the top of the ninth though, as Cam Robinson walked a pair of runners and threw a two-out wild pitch to Hernandez to allow Tyler Tolbert and Tresh, the game-tying runs, into scoring position. But after a nine-pitch battle with Hernandez, Robinson got his 15th save of the year and ended his team’s six-game losing streak, catching the outfielder looking at strike three.

Game three of the set tomorrow will feature two starters making rehab appearances, as Zach Haake (0-1, 13.50) continues his Double-AA rehab assignment and takes the ball against Brewers’ ace Brandon Woodruff (0-0, 0.00) who begins a Major League rehab assignment.

First pitch at Fox Cities Stadium is scheduled for 6:40pm.