Hernandez’s Game-Winner Caps Off Quad Cities’ Ninth-Inning Comeback

Davenport, Iowa – Less than 24 hours after blowing a five-run lead in the series-opener, the Quad Cities River Bandits completed a five-run comeback of their own Wednesday, walking off the Dayton Dragons 7-6 on Omar Hernandez’s two-run single in the bottom of the ninth at Modern Woodmen Park.

The River Bandits never led until the final swing of the game and fell behind 1-0 as early as the game’s second batter, as Yerlin Confidan tripled in Leo Balcazar’s first of four singles. Two batters later, Victor Acosta plated Confidan with an RBI-knock before Johnny Ascanio put Dayton ahead 3-0 with a sacrifice-fly.

After throwing 35 pitches in the first inning, Quad Cities’ starter Logan Martin returned to the mound for the second, but allowed a fourth run on Confidan’s RBI-single in what would be his final frame of the game.

A pair of two-baggers helped get the Bandits the run back in the bottom half, as Hernandez delivered his first RBI-swing of the night, scoring Carson Roccaforte’s double off Dragons’ starter Nestor Lorant.

Erick Torres then got to the right-hander in fourth and trimmed Quad Cities’ deficit to 4-2 with a solo home run—his second in as many nights—over the left-field wall.

Reliever Nate Ackenhausen slowed down the Dragons’ bats with a scoreless third and fourth inning, but after returning for the fifth, saw Carlos Jorge’s leadoff walk come back to bite on Ascanio’s RBI-single.

Dayton then tagged Tyler Davis for a run in the sixth on a John Michael Faile RBI-poke and reextended the Dragons lead to four, 6-2.

After 4.0 innings from Lorant, Dayton right-hander Trey Braithwait racked-up six strikeouts over 2.0-scoreless innings to allow the offense to insure the lead, before passing the ball to left-hander Graham Osman, who tossed a scoreless seventh and eighth.

The southpaw returned to the hill for the ninth, but after inducing a lazy fly ball off the bat of Daniel Vazquez, saw the Bandits shortstop reach when right-fielder Ariel Almonte dropped the can of corn for an “E9.” Sam Kulasingam then put the tying run in the on-deck circle with an opposite field single and Callan Moss doubled them both home to bring Quad Cities within two.

Carter Frederick then snapped an 0-for-17 skid with an RBI-single of his own to make it 6-5.

After four batters, Osman struck out Roccaforte for the first out before Dragons’ manager Vince Harrison Jr. made a pitching change, calling in Dylan Simmons to face Bryan Gonzalez with the tying run at first and one out. Gonzalez fell into a two-strike count, but legged-out an infield single, putting the winning run aboard as well.

Simmons then walked Trevor Werner to load the bases, before Hernandez drove a sharp ground ball between short and third to easily score Frederick, with Gonzalez following on Smith’s errant throw towards the plate from left.

The walk-off win marks Quad Cities’ second of the year—both secured by Hernandez.

Right-hander A.J. Causey (3-2) earned the win for Quad Cities after keeping the Bandits within shouting distance with a scoreless eighth and ninth inning. Simmons (0-2) was charged with a blown save and faced three batters before allowing the game-winning run.

The River Bandits return to Modern Woodmen Park for game three of the series tomorrow night and send the Midwest League’s earned run average leader Frank Mozzicato (1-0, 1.15) to the mound opposite Dayton’s Luke Hayden (1-0, 1.88). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.