Michelena's four hits power Bandits

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa. - Arturo Michelena broke out in his second game for the Quad Cities River Bandits, going 4-for-4 with three RBIs in a 10-4 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Saturday night at Perfect Game Field. The Bandits tied a season high with 14 hits and the offense plated six runs in the sixth inning to jump ahead for good.

Michelena started off the big frame for the Bandits (18-23) with a double. Aaron Mizell reached on a bunt single and Myles Straw dropped down a RBI-bunt to score Michelena. Later in the inning Connor Goedert flied to right, but Brad Hartong watched the ball bounce off his glove, scoring Mizell. With two runners on, Pat Porter knocked his first homer of the year and Michelena capped off the inning with a sacrifice fly to score Dexture McCall and give the Bandits a 6-2 lead over the Kernels (23-18).

After three scoreless innings, the Kernels took a 2-0 lead with runs in the fourth and fifth. LaMonte Wade led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and moved into scoring position on a balk. Brian Olson drove home Wade with a single. In the fifth, Sean Miller collected an infield single and scored on a single from Wade.

After the six-run sixth for the Bandits, the Kernels got one run back in the bottom of the frame with the help of two errors. Hartong reached on an error by Mizell and Jermaine Palacios got to first on an error by McCall. Alex Perez grounded into a fielder's choice to score Hartong, making it a 6-3 Bandits lead.

Quad Cities added insurance in the eighth. Keach Ballard walked and Christian Correa singled to start the inning. Michelena's third hit of the game scored Ballard. Mizell's second bunt single of the game loaded the bases for the Bandits. Straw and Kyle Tucker followed each other with RBI-sacrifice flies to put the Bandits on top 9-3.

The Kernels and Bandits traded runs in the bottom of the eighth and top of the ninth. With the bases loaded, Perez grounded out to score Luis Arraez. The Bandits countered with Michelena's fourth hit of the game. The single scored McCall who knocked a one-out double. Michelena finished the night with a 4-for-4 performance, sac fly, three RBIs, and two runs scored.

Alex Winkelman (5-1) earned the win in a relief appearance for Quad Cities. The lefty allowed two runs, one earned, over four innings while striking out four. WInkelman has wins in his last three appearances. Jose Hernandez took no decision in his start for the Bandits. The Mexico-native lasted 4.1 innings, giving up two runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out one. Dereck Rodriguez (1-5) took the loss for Cedar Rapids. After tossing five scoreless innings, he was credited with all six runs in the sixth, but only four were earned. He struck out six and walked two over 5.1 innings of work.

The River Bandits look to take control of the four-game set Sunday afternoon with RHP Yoanys Quiala (0-0, 5.63) toeing the rubber. The Kernels send RHP Miles Nordgren (1-1, 3.33) in the 2:05 p.m. CT first pitch. Jake Levy and Lance Ragland will have the call and the LLOYD Agencies Pregame Show starting at 1:50 p.m. on 1170 AM K-BOB in the Quad Cities, and on RiverBandits.com or the TuneIn app anywhere.