DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The Quad Cities River Bandits walked off with game one of the Midwest League Western Division Championship Series, 5-4, over the Cedar Rapids Kernels Saturday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Josh Rojas singled home pinch-runner Luis Payano to give the Bandits the win in the tenth inning.
DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The Quad Cities River Bandits walked off with game one of the Midwest League Western Division Championship Series, 5-4, over the Cedar Rapids Kernels Saturday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Josh Rojas singled home pinch-runner Luis Payano to give the Bandits the win in the tenth inning.
Quad Cities (3-1, 79-59) rallied for four two-out runs in the seventh inning to tie the game. A bases loaded single from Bryan De La Cruz started the rally, scoring two runs, then Chas McCormick singled home a run before the Bandits tied it on a Kernels (2-1, 75-65) error by Royce Lewis . The Kernels scored all four of their runs in the second inning.
Yohan Ramirez took over on the mound in the second inning after the four-run frame and went 5.1 scoreless innings, keeping the Bandits within striking distance. Ramirez allowed just two hits and struck out six. With the game tied in the ninth and the bases loaded, Jesus Balaguer entered the game and struck out back-to-back batters to keep the game tied. Balaguer (1-0) also hurled a scoreless tenth to earn the win. Ryan Mason (0-1) got one out in the tenth before allowing the game-winning single by Rojas.
The Bandits have two chances to clinch a spot in the Midwest League Championship Series, beginning Sunday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with game two of the best-of-three series at 4:05 p.m. CDT at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Ronel Blanco (6-4, 3.30) takes the mound for Quad Cities against Charlie Barnes (2-1, 3.86) for the Kernels. You can hear the game live with Jake Levy on 1170 AM K-BOB, riverbandits.com and TuneIn radio.
