Bandits' Hader Shuts Down Snappers

DAVENPOT, IA - Josh Hader threw seven brilliant innings, facing only one batter over the minimum and allowing just one run as the Quad Cities River Bandits halted the Beloit Snappers, 3-1, in the first game of the Western Division Final in the Midwest League playoffs at Modern Woodman Park on Saturday night.

The River Bandits now have a one game to none lead over the Snappers in this best of three series.

Hader (1-0) was practically unhittable for Quad Cities. The lefty gave up only three safeties, a solo homer to Ryan Mathews in the fourth and singles to Aaron Shipman in the first and John Wooten in the fifth. Shipman was caught stealing and Wooten was erased on a double play. Hader also walked only one, and that runner was also eliminated on a twin killing.

The River Bandits offense wasn't able to do much, but they did enough. An error in the first inning put a man in scoring position for Carlos Correa, who grounded an RBI single through the middle for the early edge against Andres Avila (0-1). Correa knocked in another run with a sacrifice fly in the third and Jordan Scott drove in the final run of the night with a double that scored Rio Ruiz in the sixth.

Reliever Mitchell Lambson entered the game for Quad Cities in the eighth and continued what Hader had started with a spotless innings. Beloit did manage to bring up the tying run against Andrew Walter in the ninth, but Walter struck out Ryan Mathews to save the game.

Beloit will try to save their season on Sunday evening at Pohlman Field in Game Two of this series. They will be relying on RHP Kyle Finnegan (1-1, 9.82 ERA) to give them a good start as the Snappers go against RHP Zach Morton (0-1, 1.45 ERA). The first pitch will be thrown at 6:30pm. All fans at the game on Sunday can enjoy specials such as $1 fountain sodas and 12 ounce drafts of beer for $1, as well as half off on all food items.