Bandits Break Strikeout Record, Drop Series Finale 8-3

The Quad Cities River Bandits made history on Friday night at Modern Woodmen Park, but the game tilted heavily in favor of the Kane County Cougars who picked up an 8-3 victory to close the series. When Leovanny Rodriguez struck out Kane County catcher Tim Susnara to end the third inning it was the 1,308^th registered by the Bandits this season, a new single-season Midwest League record. The Bandits finished the game with 11 strikeouts to add to the record.
Kane County opened the scoring with a run in the first inning against Rodriguez. Jose Caballero opened the game by drawing a free pass. He raced around to score on a double into the right field corner by Jiancarlos Cintron that made it 1-0.
In the second inning, Tra Holmes led off with an infield single, but was quickly picked off of first base. Eudy Ramos slammed a triple off of the wall in center field in the next at bat. Terence Connelly lifted a sacrifice fly into left field to allow Ramos to score and double the lead.

The score remained 2-0 into the seventh inning when Kane County pulled away. Reliever Humberto Castellanos allowed four hits in the inning and the Bandits also committed two errors to aid the cause. The Cougars ended up scoring runs in the inning, three of them unearned, to build a 7-0 advantage.
Yet another unearned run came across in the visitors' half of the eighth inning. With two outs, Caballero worked his second walk of the night. Ryan Grotjohn then hit a soft line drive back to the mound that Willy Collado knocked down, but fumbled trying to pick up. He then rushed a throw to first that sailed wide of Colton Shaver and down the line, allowing Caballero to score. Collado was charged with both a fielding and throwing error on the play.
The River Bandits loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth and reached the scoreboard when Colton Shaver hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field. The Bandits loaded the bases again with no outs in the ninth inning. Both Alfredo Angarita and Miguelangel Sierra drove in runs with RBI groundouts to reduce the deficit to 8-3 before Jonathan Lacroix popped out down the third base line to end the game.
Rodriguez worked 5.0 innings and allowed two runs on six hits while striking out six. Castellanos followed with 1.2 innings, allowing five runs, two earned, on five hits. Collado finished the game by working the final 2.1 innings and allowed just one hit and an unearned run.
Kane County doubled the Bandits in the hit column 12-6. Ramos led all hitters in the game with three hits. Cintron and Connelly each added a pair with Cintron driving in two runs. The only Bandits player with multiple hits in the contest was Marty Costes who finished with a pair.
The River Bandits (30-24, 70-54) open a new series with the Peoria Chiefs (31-21, 70-52) on Saturday night at 6:35 p.m. The first 2,000 fans through the gates will receive an Evan Gattis bobblehead doll courtesy of Alorica. RHP Edgardo Sandoval (1-1, 1.50) take the ball for the Bandits against LHP Jake Dahlberg (2-1, 2.14) of the Chiefs.
All River Bandits games are broadcast on 1170 K-BOB and TuneIn Radio. Home games are also available with video on MiLB.TV.