LumberKings out slugged in 9-3 loss

DAVENPORT, IA (July 9, 2017) - Early offense and three Quad Cities River Bandits home runs were enough to drop the Clinton LumberKings 9-3 on Sunday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Home runs from Joe Rizzo and Dimas Ojeda went to waste for Clinton (6-12, 37-48) in the third game of a four-game series.
Lane Ratliff started for the LumberKings and was hit hard by the River Bandits (13-5, 50-39). The lefty lasted just 2.2 innings, allowing eight runs, five earned, on 10 hits while striking out two and walking none.
Quad Cities opened the scoring with two runs off Ratliff (1-2) in the bottom of the first inning and continued to pile one. In the bottom of the second inning, Quad Cities went back-to-back with home runs from Daz Cameron and Carmen Benedetti.
Cameron continued to swing the bat well against the LumberKings and went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, four RBI, and a home run.
The home runs were more than enough run support for River Bandits starter Gabriel Valdez who threw six shutout innings to earn his third win of the season. Clinton was held to just two runs against the Quad Cities starter. Joe Rizzo smashed his fifth home run of the season, his second straight game with a home run, in the top of the second inning and Dimas Ojeda slugged his first home run of the year in the bottom of the fifth. Both home runs for Clinton were solo shots and did little to cut into the River Bandits lead.
Valdez (3-0) struck out eight and walked none in an impressive start for Quad Cities. The offense that backed him added their final run of the night in the bottom of the fifth inning when Troy Sieber launched Quad Cities third home run of the game. The long fly was his first of the season and was the only hit against LumberKings reliever Steven Moyers in his 3.1 innings of relief work.
The LumberKings plated the final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when Gareth Morgan doubled to left, moved to third on a ground out, and scored on a Robert Corneil wild pitch.
Corneil did not allow another run to score in his three innings of work and was awarded his first save of the season in his River Bandits debut.
 All nine of the River Bandits starting batters collected a hit in a game where the LumberKings were outhit 14-to-7.
The LumberKings will conclude their four-game series with the Quad Cities River Bandits on Sunday night. Right-handed pitcher Brandon Miller (8-3, 3.51) will take the ball for Clinton and face Quad Cities right-handed pitcher Yohan Ramirez (1-1, 3.10). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM (CDT) with the pregame show beginning at 6:20 PM (CDT) on 100.3 FM WCCI or online at www.lumberkings.com, Erik Oas is on the call. 
About the LumberKings
The LumberKings, the only remaining Charter Member of the Midwest League, are playing their 62nd season in the league and their ninth as an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Since the club's inception in 1937, 270 former Clinton players have made it to the Major Leagues. The LumberKings play at historic Ashford University Field located off 6th Avenue North at 537 Ballpark Drive. Tickets to all 70 home games are available by calling (563) 242-0727 or by visiting lumberkings.com