Bandits Overcome Six-Run Deficit in Win Over Chiefs

Davenport, Iowa – After giving up six runs in the first inning, the Quad Cities River Bandits fought back for an 11-10 comeback win over the Peoria Chiefs on Tuesday night at Modern Woodmen Park.

Quad Cities lefty Emilio Marquez picked up the win and closed out the game after 2.2 scoreless innings in which he allowed one hit, struck out four batters, and walked none. Peoria reliever Jon Beller took the loss after giving up two earned runs and allowing four hits, three walks, and three strikeouts in 2.0 innings.

Quad Cities was forced to climb out of an early hole after starter Rylan Kauffman gave up six earned runs in the top of the first inning. Chiefs’ catcher Wade Stauss took the lefty deep for a three-run blast to cap a 6-0 lead and saw Peoria send all nine hitters to the plate before Kauffman got out of the inning after 27 pitches.

The Bandits answered in the bottom half of the frame with a home run of their own, a one out, two-run shot by designated hitter Kale Emshoff off Chiefs starter Zane Mills to cut the deficit, 6-2 after an inning.

Kauffman tossed a scoreless frame in the top of the second and was rewarded in the bottom half with a two-run homer from right fielder Juan Carlos Negret to bring Q.C. within two runs, 6-4. The Bandits’ slugger has notched six home runs and 17 RBIs through 63 at-bats in June.

Both teams were kept off the board until the top of the fifth when Kauffman allowed a leadoff single to third baseman Osvaldo Tovalin and retired the next two hitters before issuing a four pitch, two-out walk to shortstop Ramon Mendoza. With runners on first and third, Q.C. manager Brooks Conrad made a call to the bullpen for right-hander Chase Wallace.

Kauffman finished his day allowing eight earned runs on seven hits, allowing two walks and striking out three across 4.2 innings.

With Wallace facing Stauss and runners on the corners, Mendoza successfully stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error from catcher Luca Tresh who attempted to catch Tovalin at third base, but the throw went into left field to plate Tovalin and another run for Peoria. In a full count, Stauss took Wallace deep for his second homer of the game, a solo blast to put the Chiefs ahead, 9-4.

Wallace pitched a one-two-three top of the six and the Bandits responded with a five-run outburst in the bottom of the inning. Quad Cities loaded the bases with three consecutive singles to begin the inning from Emshoff, third baseman Herard Gonzalez, and second baseman Peyton Wilson, respectively. The next batter, first baseman Dillan Shrum, tallied a fourth-straight single to drive in Emshoff and chase Mills from the game with the Bandits down 9-5.

Facing new Peoria pitcher Levi Prater, Negret worked a four-pitch walk to bring in another run. Left fielder Parker Bates came up to the plate with the bases loaded and still no outs, delivering a two-run single to bring Quad Cities within a run. The Bandits tied the game in their next at-bat with a sacrifice fly from leadoff man Tyler Tolbert to make it a 9-9 game heading into the seventh.

The Q.C. lead didn’t last long in the top of the seventh after designated hitter L.J. Jones hit a solo home run off Wallace to put Peoria ahead 10-9. Wallace finished his night after 1.2 innings with two earned runs on two hits while striking out two and walking none.

Beller entered in the bottom half and held the Bandits scoreless before coming back out in the bottom of the eighth inning where the Quad Cities’ bats battled back.

The Bandits led off the inning with a full-count walk from Tolbert who stole second and scored on a double from Tresh to tie the game. Beller struck out center fielder Diego Hernandez and Emshoff and nearly escaped before allowing a go-ahead, RBI single on the first pitch by Gonzalez to push Q.C. ahead, 11-10.

After recording the final two outs of the eighth in relief of Wallace, Marquez took the mound in the top of the ninth. He allowed a leadoff single, struck out the next two hitters, and caught a comeback liner on the mound to end the game and seal the Bandits’ game-one victory.

The win snapped the Bandits’ five game losing skid and extended a three-game home win streak.

Quad Cities will send right-hander Zach Haake (0-1, 4.15 ERA) to the bump in game two against Peoria righty Wilfredo Pereira (3-3, 3.88 ERA) on Wednesday. First pitch between the River Bandits and Chiefs is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Modern Woodmen Park.