RIVER BANDITS JUMP ALL OVER SILVER HAWKS
Charlie Kingrey led the way for Quad Cities (5-4), going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI. South Bend (0-9) continued a season-opening slide with their ninth straight loss, and will look to avoid a series sweep at a 1:00 p.m. game on Sunday afternoon.
The River Bandits wasted no time jumping out to an early lead on Saturday, putting six runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning. There were men at second and third with one out when Andrew Brown reached on an infield single to plate the game's first run, beginning a stretch in which the River Bandits reeled off five straight hits.
Kingrey followed by clubbing a two-run double to the gap in left-center and moved to third on an infield single by Domnit Bolivar. Beau Riportella checked in next with his first hit of the season, drilling the first pitch he saw to left field to bring home Kingrey. Dave Carpenter added a run-scoring single up the middle and Mike Folli capped the rally with a sacrifice fly that scored Riportella for a quick 6-0 lead.
The score was 6-1 when the River Bandits went back to work in the fourth. Folli led off the frame by turning on a 1-2 pitch and belting his first home run of the year - and the first in Modern Woodmen Park - to the berm in right field. Later in the frame, Kingrey added an RBI-single to notch his third run batted in of the game and extend the lead to 8-1.
Quad Cities put on the finishing touches in the seventh. Carpenter singled up the middle to open the frame and went to second on a pinch-hit single by Matt Arburr with one out. Pete Kozma followed with a double to left center to bring home Carpenter, giving the Cardinals' first-round pick in 2007 his fourth multi-hit game in nine contests and a 9-2 advantage.
Piggyback starter Blake King (1-0) earned the win in a scorer's decision, tossing three shutout innings out of the bullpen despite five walks. He was able to pitch out of trouble by inducing three double play balls, as Bolivar at third and Folli at second combined to turn four groundball twin killings. Andres Rosales did not figure into the decision despite a solid start, turning in four one-run frames and allowing four hits.
The loss went to Cristian Beltre (0-1), who was roughed up for eight runs - six earned - on 11 hits in 3.2 innings of work.
ABOUT THE RIVER BANDITS: The homestand concludes with an appearance from Cirque Du Soleil on a U.S. Bank Family Sunday, which will also be Disney Day at the ballpark! Merchandise featuring the new team name and logo is currently available by visiting the Modern Woodmen Park team store, and season ticket packages, mini-packages, and the all-new You-Pick-10 Plan are on sale at the park or by calling (563) 3-BANDITS!