Birlingmair and Bullpen Help Beloit Beat Bandits

The pitching staff of the Beloit Snappers recorded 15 strikeouts and limited the Quad Cities River Bandits to three hits in taking the opening game of a series at Modern Woodmen Park 6-2 on Wednesday night. Beloit improved to 9-7 against the River Bandits this season and guaranteed at worst a split of the season-series.
The Snappers (23-28, 50-69) jumped in front 2-0 in the top of the second inning on a couple of big two-out hits off of starting pitcher Jonathan Bermudez. Skyler Weber opened the frame with an infield single and then moved into scoring position by stealing second base. Bermudez bounced back with a pair of strikeouts before Santis Sanchez blasted an RBI double to left center to give Beloit a 1-0 lead. Nick Ward followed with his own double to right center that doubled the advantage.
Beloit added to the advantage in the fourth inning as Weber started the frame by taking a base on balls. He again stole second base and then moved to third on an opposite field single by Lester Madden. With two outs, Joseph Pena grounded a base hit down the right field line to score Weber and make it 3-0. On the play, Madden also tried to score from second, but Austin Dennis threw him out at the plate to end the inning.

The River Bandits (28-23, 71-46) had been held without a hit into the fourth inning by Beloit starter Reid Birlingmair. With one out, Grae Kessinger worked a walk to become the Bandits second baserunner of the night. Oscar Campos followed by blasting a hanging breaking ball over the left field wall for his third home run of the season. The two-run blast made it 3-2.
The Snappers would bounce back immediately by scoring runs in the next two innings. Max Schuemann opened the fifth frame with a double and then stole third base. Nick Osborne drove him in with an RBI single to push the lead to 4-2. After a fielder's choice bouncer by Weber moved him into scoring position, Pena lined a base hit to left that appeared to score Osborne, however after an appeal by the Bandits, Osborne was called out for missing third base.
In the sixth inning, reliever Luis De Paula retired the first two batters he faced before walking three straight to load the bases. Devin Foyle took advantage with a single into shallow center that added to the lead and made it 6-2.
Bermudez took the loss after allowing four runs on ten hits in 5.0 innings. Birlingmair picked up the win after recording a career-high nine strikeouts over 6.0 innings on the hill. He allowed just one hit, the Campos home run.
Three different River Bandits hitters collected one of the three hits in the game and each of them extended hitting streaks in doing so. Grae Kessinger and Campos extended theirs to seven games and Alex McKenna stretched his to eight with a single in the eighth.
The series will continue with game two on Thursday night at 6:35 p.m. RHP Jose Alberto Rivera (5-4, 4.32) will work for the Bandits against Beloit RHP Rafael Kelly (5-4, 4.07). On Thirsty Thursday there will be $2 beer and soda specials at the ballpark. It will also feature the second coaster giveaway of the season thanks to Milan Medical Group.
All River Bandits games are broadcast on 1170 K-BOB and TuneIn Radio. Home games are also available with video on MiLB.TV.