Negret’s League-Leading Blast Walks Off Chiefs in Extras

Davenport, Iowa – Despite blowing a ninth-inning lead, the Quad Cities River Bandits collected their seventh walk-off win on the season on Tuesday, topping the Peoria Chiefs 7-5 on Juan Carlos Negret’s two-run homer in the bottom of the tenth.

The game-winner marked Quad Cities third walk-off blast of the year and Negret’s Midwest League-leading 19th home run of the season.

Before the extra-inning heroics, the River Bandits overcame a 3-0 deficit in the sixth against Chiefs’ starter Max Rajcic and Edwin Nunez, with Kale Emshoff clearing loaded bases and tying the contest with a three-run double, before Justin Johnson plated Emshoff with an RBI double of his own to take a 4-3 advantage.

After Marcus Olivarez capped off his High-A debut with a scoreless seventh inning, Wander Arias kept Peoria off the board with a zero in the top of the eighth, allowing Johnson to drive in an insurance run with a sacrifice-fly for a 5-3 lead in the bottom half.

However, the Chiefs would construct a rally of their own in the top of the ninth against Arias, tying the 5-5 game on RBI singles from Ramon Mendoza and Osvaldo Tovalin.

Andrew Marrero pushed the game to extras, silencing the Bandits one-two-three in the bottom of the ninth, but after Ben Wereski twirled a perfect top of the tenth to keep the game knotted, the Bandits broke through against Gustavo Rodriguez and took the lead for good.

Wereski (3-2) earned the win for Quad Cities, striking out a pair in his perfect frame, while Peoria’s Rodriguez (8-3) got the loss, recording just one out in the extra inning.

Frank Mozzicato kept the Chiefs scoreless through four frames of his 5.0-inning start, working around six walks with the help of seven strikeouts and only allowing one unearned run.

The River Bandits will look to keep their playoff hopes alive in game two of the set tomorrow night, as Shane Panzini (0-0, 0.00) will lead Quad Cities on the hill in his High-A debut against Peoria right-hander and Davenport native, Ian Bedell (4-2, 2.45). First pitch at Modern Woodmen Park is set for 6:30 p.m.