Bandits Go Quietly in Series Finale

Davenport, Iowa – The Quad Cities River Bandits fell 4-1 to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Modern Woodmen Park. The loss marks the end of the homestand in which the Bandits dropped five of six games against the T-Rats.

Taking the loss for Q.C. was right-hander Anderson Paulino who finished the afternoon with 4.0 innings pitched and allowed two earned runs on four hits while walking and striking out two. Paulino’s record now sits at 0-6 with a 6.66 ERA in six starts this season.

The Bandits’ righty pitched two scoreless frames before running into trouble in the top of the third inning when Wisconsin shortstop Antonio Pinero worked a leadoff walk and came around to score on a two-out, two-run home run by center fielder Joe Gray Jr. to put the T-Rats up 2-0.

Paulino worked a scoreless top of the fourth to end his day before Quad Cities manager Brooks Conrad made a move to the bullpen for right-hander Chase Wallace. In the top of the fifth, Wallace allowed a one-out single to Pinero followed with a double by third baseman Zavier Warren to put runners in scoring position. Wallace walked right fielder Tristan Peters and hit the next batter, catcher Darrien Miller, to bring in a run and extend the T-Rats’ lead to3-0.

After a one-two-three bottom of the frame for the Bandits, Wisconsin tacked on another run on an RBI double by shortstop Tyler Black off Wallace to push the lead to 4-0 after the top of the sixth inning. Wallace ended his day throwing 2.0 innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits while walking three and striking out two.

The Quad Cities’ offense was set down one-two-three in the bottom of the sixth – all outs recorded via strikeout for T-Rats starter Brandon Knarr. The Wisconsin lefty held Q.C. at bay through 7.0 innings, allowing no runs on three hits while walking one and striking out 10 batters en route to his fifth win of the season.

The Bandits put together a bit of a rally in the bottom of the eighth inning off T-Rats reliever Joey Matulovich who hit back-to-back batters – shortstop Morgan McCullough and catcher Kyle Hayes, respectively. Second baseman Peyton Wilson lined a single to right field to load the bases with no outs for center fielder Diego Hernandez, but the outfielder popped up to Pinero and was ruled out on an infield fly rule. Matulovich struck the next batter, third baseman Diego Hernandez, and walked Kale Emshoff with two outs to bring in a run for the Bandits and cut the deficit to 4-1.

Wisconsin reliever James Meeker was called in to face right fielder Juan Carlos Negret with two outs and the bases loaded and Meeker won the six-pitch battle with a strikeout to end the inning.

Reliever Yohanse Morel pitched a scoreless final 3.0 innings for the Bandits while allowing one hit and one walk while striking out four.

Bandits first baseman Dillan Shrum led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a single off Meeker. Shrum did not start, but came into the game for Cam Williams who exited in the fourth inning after just one at-bat. Shrum was left stranded after left fielder Parker Bates lined out to center field, McCullough struck out, and Hayes lined out to center to end the game.

Meeker earned the save after 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and allowing no runs or walks while striking out two.

Quad Cities managed just five hits in the game, four singles by Wilson, Hernandez, designated hitter Kale Emshoff and Shrum. The only extra-base for the Bandits came on a fourth-inning double by Emshoff.

The Bandits will look to end a two-game skid in the first of 12-straight road games, beginning against the Dayton Dragons on Tuesday. First pitch between the River Bandits and Dragons is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at Day Air Ballpark.