Chiefs Blank Bandits in Second-Half Opener

Davenport, Iowa – After plating just one run on Thursday, the Quad Cities River Bandits failed to score against the Peoria Chiefs on Friday, as they fell 10-0 at Modern Woodmen Park for their eighth shutout loss of the season.

After striking for single tallies in the third, fourth, and fifth innings, Peoria pulled away in the final third of the game, plating a combined six runs against Bandits left-hander Marlin Willis in the seventh and eighth.

Despite not leaving the yard, the Chiefs leaned on five extra-base hits in the effort, including two from Jimmy Crooks, who drove in four RBIs with a pair of doubles. Nathan Church and Thomas Francisco also posted multi-RBI games, with Church tripling in a pair of runs in the seventh.

Quad Cities mustered just five hits and one walk worth of base runners and only brought more than four batters to the plate once. Gavin Cross recorded at least one hit for the eighth time in his last nine games, highlighting the Bandits offensive effort with a single and a double for his 12th multi-knock game of the year.

Dionys Rodriguez (2-4) earned the win for the Chiefs, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings and needing just one strikeout, while David Sandlin (0-1) got tagged with the loss in his High-A and River Bandits debut, allowing two runs in a 4.0-inning start, despite retiring six-straight to start the game.

Edgar Manzo (2) picked up a hold out of the Peoria bullpen, stranding the Cross double in his scoreless frame, while Gustavo Rodriguez (2.0 IP, 3 SO) and Alfredo Ruiz (1.0 IP, 1 SO) worked after him to close out the game.

The River Bandits will look to avoid a series loss on Saturday, as Tyson Guerrero (0-3, 3.71) will get the start against the Chiefs’ Alex Cornwell (5-2, 3.10). First pitch at Modern Woodmen Park is set for 6:30 p.m.