Five-Run Sixth Fuels Bandits' Win

Davenport, Iowa – The Quad Cities River Bandits won their third game of the week on Friday as they beat the South Bend Cubs 8-3 to secure at least a split of the six-game set.

In his first outing since returning from the injured list, Zach Haake started the night with three shutout frames for the Bandits, facing one over the minimum, and allowed his offense to take a 1-0 lead against Chris Clarke on Jake Means’ two-out RBI single in the second.

After Haake gave up a leadoff triple to Yohendrick Pinango in the fourth, South Bend tied it up with Yonathan Perlaza’s RBI groundout, which forced Haake from the game in favor of Anderson Paulino. Two batters later, Tucker Bradley failed to locate Jake Slaughter’s flyball and saw Bryce Ball score on a fielder’s choice to put the Cubs in front 2-1.

Paulino responded with a one-two-three fifth and after getting Tyler Durna to bounce into an inning-ending double play in the sixth, the Bandits’ offense exploded in the bottom of the sixth.

Leading off the frame, Logan Porter blasted a solo homer to quickly tie the game, but after Eric Cole and Maikel Garcia singles and Clarke’s walk of Bradley, South Bend turned to Jose Albertos with two outs and the bases loaded. Pinch hitting for Nick Loftin, Gavin Stupienski drove in two with an RBI single to center, but after Alexander Canario misplayed the base hit, Bradley also scored to put Q.C. ahead 5-2.

The next batter, another pinch hitter in Rubendy Jaquez, doubled down the left field line to score Stupienski and put up a Bandits’ five-spot in the frame.

While Paulino pand Nathan Webb pitched a perfect seventh and eighth respectively, a solo homer from Eric Cole—his 12th of the season—and another South Bend error to plate Garcia extended the lead to 8-3.

Caden Monke pitched the top of the ninth and gave up a sac-fly to Jake Slaughter, but struck out Bryce Windham to end the game.

Thanks to 3.1 innings of one-run relief work, Paulino (1-1) earned the win for Quad Cities, while Clarke (0-6) took the loss allowing five runs on 10 hits.

The River Bandits will look to secure their 13th series win of the season tomorrow night and will work behind Christian Cosby (4-3, 4.50). Bailey Horn (2-1, 8.48) is scheduled to get the start for South Bend. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. CDT at Modern Woodmen Park.