River Bandits Shut Out Kernels for Second-Straight Night

Davenport, Iowa – After a 7-0 win on Tuesday, the Quad Cities River Bandits blanked the Cedar Rapids Kernel for the second consecutive game on Wednesday, claiming a 4-0 win at Modern Woodmen Park.

Four River Bandits pitchers combined for the scoreless effort, with Cruz Noriega striking out five in his 4.0-inning start. The right-hander allowed just two walks and one hit, helping hold Cedar Rapids to just five total through 18.0 innings to start the series.

Three of Quad Cities’ newest members led the way at the plate, with Jean Ramirez, Dustin Dickerson, and Justin Johnson each recording multi-hit efforts. Ramirez gave the Bandits their initial 2-0 lead against Kernels’ starter Kyle Jones, driving in a pair with two outs and the bases loaded in the second.

Brandon Johnson (2.0 IP), Wander Arias (1.0 IP), and Cooper McKeehan (2.0 IP) closed out the game out of the bullpen, combining for five strikeouts to three total base runners.

McKeehan worked a pair of double plays in his 2.0-scoreless frames, including a 5-4-3 twin killing to close out the ninth in his Modern Woodmen Park debut.

Quad Cities will look to guarantee a split of the six-game set on Thursday, as Ben Kudrna (0-2, 3.86) gets the start against Cedar Rapids’ Christian McLeod. First pitch at Modern Woodmen Park is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.