Bandits clinch first-half title, win in Clinton

CLINTON, Iowa - River Bandits center fielder Bobby Boyd drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the seventh inning, and right-hander Joshua James pitched four scoreless innings at Ashford University Field to finish a 5-4 victory just minutes after a Cedar Rapids loss clinched Quad Cities the Western Division first-half title Thursday night.

The River Bandits clinched a playoff spot June 12 after a doubleheader split with Lansing and a Kane County loss. Cedar Rapids (40-27) won on Tuesday to clinch a playoff spot and first-round meeting with Quad Cities (43-22), but Thursday's results set the first-half order of finish. Burlington's 2-0, 11-inning win in Cedar Rapids Thursday gave the River Bandits their first divisional first-half title since 1998. 

With the bases loaded and two down in the top of the seventh inning, Boyd hit a 2-2 pitch from reliever Rohn Pierce (2-3) to the right-center field gap, scoring designated hitter Sean McMullen and shortstop Kristian Trompiz to take a 5-4 lead. Four of the five runs in the game for the River Bandits came with two outs.

Quad Cities got off to a hot start against Clinton starter Lukas Schiraldi by scoring twice in the first inning on RBI singles off the bats of All-Star third baseman Nick Tanielu and right fielder Ramon Laureano.

Clinton (24-42) was sent down in order by Quad Cities starter Brock Dykxhoorn in the first two innings. The LumberKings started the third inning with three base hits and scored three times. Designated hitter Martin Peguero and catcher Wayne Taylor each drove in runs, and Dykxhoorn's wild pickoff throw scored another run, helping Clinton lead, 3-2, after three innings. Dykxhoorn was chased from the game after another run scoring in the fourth inning, leaving reliever Jordan Mills to inherit a bases-loaded, two-out situation and facing Taylor. Mills was able to strike out the LumberKings catcher on three pitches to preserve the two-run deficit. 

The score remained 4-2, in Clinton's favor, until the sixth inning, when the River Bandits rallied to get within one. Laureano singled to begin the inning against Pierce and advanced to third, on a base hit by Boyd, who had struck out in each of his three previous at-bats against Pierce this season before Thursday. After second baseman Luis Reynoso struck out, Ritchie singled to right, scoring Laureano, and cutting the LumberKings lead to 4-3.

James (2-1) took over for Mills in the sixth, pitching the final four innings and allowing just three hits while striking out three. Clinton aided the River Bandits bullpen with baserunning errors in the fifth and eighth innings. With a runner on first and one out in the fifth, right fielder Estarlyn Morales appeared to reach base when Mills fielded a ground ball, and Ritchie dropped the throw at first base. However, Morales was ruled out on batter's interference while running to first base, and left fielder Chantz Mack, who had advanced to third, was sent back to first on the play. James was then able get third baseman Joe DeCarlo to strike out looking to end the threat. 

Another key play came in the eighth inning with one out and runners on first and third, representing the tying and go-ahead runs. Peguero hit a fly ball to right field that was caught by Laureano and deep enough for DeCarlo, who was the runner at third, to score in front of the throw. However, Quad Cities appealed that DeCarlo left third base early, and umpires Aaron Higgins and Matt Bates ruled DeCarlo out to end the inning and nullify the tying run. The ensuing argument by Clinton manager Scott Steinmann brought his ejection from the game.

Quad Cities returns to Modern Woodmen Park Friday to face Burlington (34-32) for the final three games of the first half. River Bandits right-hander Christian Powell (0-0, 1.59) is scheduled to face Bees right-hander Keynan Middleton (3-3, 4.14) in the 7 p.m. series opener.

UP NEXT: Modern Woodmen Park needs your vote in the Final Four of the "Best of the Ballparks" competition at BallparkDigest.com. Voting for the Final Four only lasts until 10 p.m., so don't wait to vote! To see the first-half Western Division Champions, individual tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office and online at riverbandits.com. Ticket plans of 12 to 70 games - which include free parking, reserved seats, merchandise discounts, and guaranteed giveaways - are available by calling 563-324-3000.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: With the installation of the Ferris Wheel, the River Bandits ownership in 2014 made one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931, and this year the club is matching that effort by opening three new areas. A two-tiered special group deck immediately behind and overlooking the corn field opens next week. A new 11,000-square-foot concourse expansion down the third-base line will open in July. Finally, the club is expanding the children's play area by an additional 5,500 square feet down the right-field line. New rides will be announced upon completion of these new areas.