Sandoval Strikes Out 11 as Bandits Blank Kernels

Edgardo Sandoval struck out a career-high 11 hitters as the Quad Cities River Bandits blanked the Cedar Rapids Kernels 5-0 on Sunday evening at Modern Woodmen Park. The shutout was the Bandits Midwest League-leading 14^th of the season.
The River Bandits grabbed their first lead of the series in the second inning via the long ball. With two outs, Scott Schreiber found himself in a full count situation and teed off on a fastball, sending it careening off of the batter's eye in center field for a solo home run. His fourth home run of the season put the Bandits in front 1-0.
The lead grew for the Bandits in the bottom of the fifth inning. Schreiber walked with one out and promptly stole second base. When the throw from catcher Ben Rodriguez sailed into center field, Schreiber advanced to third. Michael Papierski joined him on base by working a walk of his own. Logan Mattix lifted a sacrifice fly into center field to score Schreiber and make it 2-0. The next hitter, Colton Shaver, blasted his team-leading 14^th home run of the campaign onto the berm in left field to double the margin to 4-0.

The final run was scored in the Bandits half of the eighth when Ruben Castro led off with his third hit of the game. He moved all the way to third base on an errant pickoff attempt from Moises Gomez and then scored moments later when the right-hander bounced a wild pitch to the backstop.
The five runs were more than enough support for a pitching staff that allowed just three hits and struck out 15 Kernels. Sandoval tossed 6.0 innings to earn his first win with the Bandits. Parker Mushinski was first out of the bullpen, working 2.0 perfect innings with three strikeouts. Willy Collado closed the game by retiring the side in order in the ninth.
The River Bandits produced six hits in the game, three of which were provided by Castro. The left-handed hitter stretched his hitting streak to 11 games.
The River Bandits (27-22, 67-52) and Kernels (31-18, 63-55) head to Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids to continue the series on Monday night at 6:35 p.m. RHP Chad Donato (2-0, 3.00) takes the hill for the Bandits against Cedar Rapids RHP Edwar Colina (6-3, 2.66).
All River Bandits games are broadcast on 1170 K-BOB and TuneIn Radio. Home games are also available with video on MiLB.T