A big fourth inning guided the Peoria Chiefs to a series-opening 6-2 win over the Quad Cities River Bandits on Saturday night at Modern Woodmen Park. The Chiefs scored all six of their runs in the frame to turn a deficit into a four-run advantage. The River Bandits were the
A big fourth inning guided the Peoria Chiefs to a series-opening 6-2 win over the Quad Cities River Bandits on Saturday night at Modern Woodmen Park. The Chiefs scored all six of their runs in the frame to turn a deficit into a four-run advantage.
The River Bandits were the first team on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Marty Costes opened the frame by slicing a double into the left-center gap. He then moved to third base when Chandler Taylor dropped a shallow single into right field. With two outs, the River Bandits executed a double steal with Taylor taking second and Costes scoring the game's first run.
The lead was doubled in the third inning when Taylor hammered a solo home run to right field that cleared the Ford Deck. It was the seventh long ball of the season for the Astros 10th round pick in this year's draft.
The 2-0 lead held until the fateful fourth inning when Peoria broke through and took the lead. Following a leadoff walk to Dennis Ortega, the Bandits committed two errors on the same play, resulting in runners remaining on the corners with no outs. Nick Plummer doubled down the right field line to score both runners and the tie the game at 2-2. A single from Brandon Riley put runners on the corners and then Plummer took the lead on a sacrifice fly from Rayder Ascanio. Wood Myers drove in a run with a tapper in front of the plate and the final damage followed when Nolan Gorman hit a two-run home run to right field to extend the lead to 6-2. Neither team would score the rest of the game.
Despite dropping the game, the River Bandits outhit the Chiefs 10-7. Costes led both teams with three hits, finishing a home run shy of the cycle. Taylor and Scott Schreiber added two hits each. Gorman and Plummer both drove in two runs each for Peoria.
Edgardo Sandoval, the River Bandits starter, took the loss after working 3.2 scoreless innings. He allowed six runs, five earned, with five walks and four strikeouts. J.P. France made his Bandits debut with 2.1 scoreless innings, recording four punchouts. Left-hander Tim Hardy pitched 2.0 innings and fanned five and Brendan Feldmann worked a scoreless ninth. The River Bandits combined for 14 strikeouts.
The River Bandits (30-25, 70-55) continue their series with the Chiefs (32-21, 71-52) on Sunday night at 5:15 p.m. RHP Chad Donato (3-0, 2.51) will work for the Bandits against RHP Johan Oviedo (9-8, 4.66) 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.
