Way’s Eight No-Hit Innings Lead Bandits Over Sky Carp

Beloit, Wisconsin – After eight shutout innings and a career-high ten strikeouts from their starting pitcher Beck Way, the Quad Cities River Bandits took a no-hitter into the ninth inning on Saturday, as they beat the Beloit Sky Carp 5-1 at ABC Supply Stadium.

While Way would only surrender a pair of base runners on a walk and hit batsman through the first third of the ballgame, Sky Carp starter Gabe Bierman allowed just Bandits’ batter to reach, not giving up a run until the fourth when Juan Carlos Negret drove in Darryl Collins, who reached on a triple, with a sacrifice-fly for a 1-0 lead.

Protecting the slim lead, Way didn’t allow Beloit to reach in the fourth or fifth, and then struck out four-straight working two-outs into the sixth. Dalvy Rosario would end the string though and worked a walk before moving to second on a wild pitch—one of two Sky Carp hitters to make it into scoring position during the game. However, the right-hander would get Victor Mesa Jr. to ground out to end the threat.

When Bierman departed after 6.0 innings of one-run ball, Quad Cities’ bats came to life in the seventh against Caleb Wurster, with Parker Bates plating a run on a fielder’s choice and Cam Williams making it a 4-0 Q.C. advantage with a two-run double.

In the bottom of the seventh, Way would hit Bennett Hostetler with a pitch to open the inning, but after fanning Zach Zubia on strikes, got Brady Allen to bounce into an inning-ending double play.

Thanks to a Sky Carp error, the Bandits took a 5-0 lead in the top of the eighth, before Way would return for the bottom half and work around a pair of walks with strikeout of Jan Mercado, his tenth of the game, a ground ball from Jose Salas, and finally a pop up from Rosario to end his outing after 108 pitches and a career-high 8.0 innings pitched.

Still having not allowed a Sky Carp hit, Bandits’ manager Brooks Conrado turned to Anderson Paulino to the final three outs of the game, but on the right-hander’s first pitch, Mesa Jr. grounded a ball up the middle to end the no-hit bid.

Four batters later, Kyler Castillo would later plate Mesa Jr. with an RBI single, but it was too late for the Sky Carp, as Paulino would strand Allen, who walked, and Castillo with a strikeout of Mercado to end the game.

With 8.0 scoreless, hitless innings—including ten strikeouts—Way (3-3) earned the win for Quad Cities, while Bierman (1-1) took a tough-luck loss for Beloit, giving up one run with seven strikeouts in a 6.0-inning start.

The River Bandits will look to win their series against the Sky Carp on Sunday afternoon, as Chandler Champlain (1-2, 9.78) gets the start against Beloit’s Luis Palacios (2-2, 5.73). First pitch at ABC Supply Stadium is set for 1:05pm.