River Bandits Run Roughshod over Chiefs 21-1

The Quad Cities River Bandits enjoyed an offensive explosion with big nights from multiple players on their way to a 21-1 win over the Peoria Chiefs at Dozer Park on Thursday night. Marty Costes drove in seven runs and shortstop Jeremy Pena finished a single short of the cycle. The River Bandits hit four home runs in the game in cruising to a series-opening win.
Following a missed opportunity by the River Bandits, who grounded into a double play with the bases loaded in the top of the first, the Chiefs scored their lone run of the game in the bottom half. Brady Whalen drove in the only run Bandits starting pitcher Jojanse Torres has allowed this season with a solo home run to right.   
A broken bat single from Costes tied the game in the top of the third before Quad Cities went off for nine runs in the fourth to blow the game wide open. The first 10 batters of the inning reached base safely and in the end 13 players stepped to the plate in the frame. The big hits in the frame were a two-run double from Pena and a bases clearing double that drove in three from Costes.

The Bandits (24-12) added two more runs to their lead in the fifth and another run in the sixth as Pena launched his third long ball of the campaign to make it 13-1. Another home run, this one the first of the season for Michael Wielansky, increased the advantage to 15-1 after eight.
Peoria (17-21) reliever Thomas St. Clair walked the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth inning causing the Chiefs to call on infielder Josh Shaw to pitch. Scott Schreiber lined a two-run double to right as the first batter to stand in against the position player. Costes followed with a booming three-run home run to left and then David Hensley made it back-to-back long balls with a solo blast in the next at bat. The River Bandits have hit back-to-back home runs twice this season and Hensley provided the second each time.
Costes became the first River Bandits player to collect seven RBI in a game since Daz Cameron on April 28, 2017 in Clinton. Pena and Schreiber joined Costes with three hits and each had three RBI and scored four runs. Trey Dawson reached base five times with a single, two walks and two hit by pitches.
Torres struck out seven while allowing four hits over 5.0 innings to collect his third win. Austin Hansen followed with 3.0 scoreless innings and has now worked 20.0 straight innings without surrendering a run. The game was closed out by Jonathan Bermudez in the ninth. The four pitchers combined to collect 12 strikeouts.
The River Bandits will continue this four-game series in Peoria on Friday night at 6:35 p.m. RHP Jose Bravo is expected to start in his first appearance with the River Bandits. Peoria has not yet announced their starting pitcher for the contest.
All River Bandits games are broadcast on 1170 K-BOB and TuneIn Radio. Home games are also available with video on MiLB.TV.