Big third boosts Bandits, 6-2

DAVENPORT, IA – With temperature at first pitch at 98 degrees and the heat index soaring far above 100, the Quad Cities River Bandits (11-15, 43-49) used a five-run third inning and the fine pitching of Tyson Guerrero to beat the Lansing Lugnuts (10-16, 41-50), 6-2, on Wednesday night at Modern Woodmen Park.

The game, the hottest thus far of the Lugnuts’ season, was completed in one hour and 52 minutes.

Trailing 1-0 entering the third inning against Lugs starter Jake Garland, the River Bandits collected back-to-back doubles from Kale Emshoff and Herard González before an RBI groundout from Javier Vaz tied the game. After a walk to River Town, Cayden Wallace doubled in González to break the tie, Gavin Cross doubled in both Town and Wallace, and Juan Carlos Negret singled in Cross to complete a rapid-fire uprising.

Garland blanked the River Bandits otherwise, allowing a single in the first inning and tossing a 1-2-3 second inning, fourth inning and fifth inning before Mac Lardner handled a scoreless sixth and seventh.

Quad Cities’ only other offense came courtesy of a Negret solo home run in the eighth against Charles Hall.

But the Lugnuts were stymied by lefty Guerrero, who struck out eight while allowing only four hits and two walks while inducing three double plays in seven innings. Those four hits: a Daniel Susac double in the second inning, scored via Joshwan Wright sacrifice fly two batters later; a Brennan Milone home run in the fourth, the first baseman’s third with the Nuts; and a Susac double and Danny Bautista, Jr. single in the seventh.

Quad Cities second baseman Vaz finished the game 0-for-4 to end his league-leading 23-game on-base streak.

Right-hander Mitch Myers (4.52 ERA) will start the third game of the six-game series at 7:30 p.m. Eastern, 6:30 p.m. local on Thursday, opposed by Royals No. 2 prospect Ben Kudrna (0.00).

The Lugnuts’ next home game is on August 8, beginning a two-week homestand against Fort Wayne and Great Lakes. Tickets are available via lansinglugnuts.com or by calling (517) 485-4500 during office hours.

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