Martin Quality in Bandits’ Win Over Loons

Midland, Michigan – Quad Cities’ right-hander Logan Martin allowed just two runs over 6.0 innings and retired 18 of the final 20 hitters he faced as the River Bandits defeated the Great Lakes Loons 7-5 on Friday afternoon at Dow Diamond.

Martin’s only blemish came two pitches into the game. After allowing a leadoff bunt single to Kendall George, Josue De Paula launched a two-run home run on the very next pitch to right-center field, his second of the series.

While the Bandits trailed 2-0 after the opening inning Quad Cities’ offense was the benefactor of 11 Loons walks, including seven from starter Wyatt Crowell. After Trevor Werner doubled in Carson Roccaforte’s leadoff free pass in the second—trimming Great Lakes’ lead to 2-1—the River Bandits drew four as part of a four-run third. Carter Frederick drew his with the bases loaded to tie the game, before Trevor Werner put the Bandits on front by greeting reliever Joseilyn Gonzlez with an RBI-single.

The right-hander then walked Canyon Brown with the bases loaded before uncorking a wild pitch to score Frederick and extend Quad Cities’ lead to 5-2.

While Martin cruised through the remainder of his start, the Bandits’ bats again added to the lead in the fifth and went up 7-2 after Brown’s opposite-field RBI-double and Erick Torres’s RBI-ground out. Both came against Loons’ reliever Cam Day, who worked a 4.1-inning piggyback start.

Tommy Molsky took over for Martin and fired a perfect 1.2 innings with two strikeouts, before passing the ball to Juan Martinez.

Martinez picked up the final out of the eighth, but thanks to a Zyhir Hope single, a walk, and a pair of River Bandits errors, wound up on the hook for three unearned runs in the ninth, before eventually closing out the frame and a 7-5 Quad Cities victory.

Martin (3-1) earned his team-high third win, struck out five, did not allow a walk, and threw 55 of 78 total pitches for a strike over his second quality start of the season. Crowell (0-2) was saddled with the loss, surrendering five runs over a 2.2-inning start.

Leading the six-game series 2-1, Quad Cities returns to Dow Diamond for a doubleheader on Saturday and sends Frank Mozzicato (1-0, 1.27) to the mound opposite Great Lakes’ Brooks Auger (2-1, 3.10) in game one. First pitch for the opener is set for 5:00 p.m. ET.