Kernels Sweep Bandits in Series Finale

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – The Quad Cities River Bandits suffered their first series sweep of the season on Sunday, as they fell to the Cedar Rapids Kernels 5-3 at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The six-game sweep marks the first for Quad Cities since last season, when the Bandits were defeated in six-straight by the Peoria Chiefs from August 1 to August 6, 2023.

During its series, the Bandits led for a total of just three innings and enjoyed its lone advantage of the game Sunday when Brett Squires drove in Jack Pineda in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly. That however would be the only run the team would plate in the frame, despite loading the bases with no outs.

The Kernels quickly responded with two runs in bottom half of the first and a tally in the second against Bandits’ starter Shane Panzini, who struggled over his first two frames, but ended his 5.0-inning start with three scoreless and five strikeouts in a no-decision.

With the Kernels up 3-1, Carter Jensen trimmed his team’s deficit to one with a solo shot in the third, before Quad Cities plated a run on an error in the fourth to tie the game. All three runs came against Cedar Rapids’ right-hander Darren Bowen who, like his counterpart, allowed three runs over a 5.0-inning day.

A.J. Block relieved Panzini and tossed a one-two-three sixth inning, but surrendered the lead in the seventh when Ricardo Olivar and Rubel Cespedes doubled and singled in a pair of two-out runs.

Despite putting the game-tying runs on base in the ninth, Quad Cities failed to re-tie the game and was held scoreless by Gabriel Yanez, Rafael Marcano, and Kyle Bischoff, who combined for 4.0-scoreless out of Brian Dinkelman’s bullpen.

Yanez (2-1) earned the win for Cedar Rapids with 2.0 perfect innings, while Block (2-1) was saddled with his first loss of the season, allowing the go-ahead scores over 2.0 frames. Bischoff (3) earned his second save of the series with a scoreless ninth.

Now in the midst of an eight-game losing streak, Quad Cities returns to Davenport next week for a two-leg homestand at Modern Woodmen Park. Game one of a six-game series against Dayton is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21.