Nivens Homers in Third-Straight; Bandits Fall Short

Beloit, Wisconsin – Spencer Nivens launched a go-ahead, first-inning home run for the third consecutive game on Saturday, but the Quad Cities River Bandits dropped their second-straight night to the Beloit Sky Carp 11-5 at ABC Supply Stadium.

Staking Quad Cities to 1-0 lead as the second batter of the game, Nivens became just the second River Bandit to homer in three-straight games this season, but the early advantage would not last long as one inning later, the Sky Carp tagged starter Hunter Owen for a five-run second and knocked the left-hander out after of the game after just 2.0 innings—the shortest start of his career.

After Dalvy Rosario (RBI single), Gage Miller (RBI-single), and Ryan Ignoffo (RBI-double) dealt the knockout punch to Owen, Quad Cities’ reliever Chase Isbell looked to have pitched a scoreless third with help from an inning-ending double play, however after Shervyen Newton failed to catch the third out at first, Roario and Colby Shade made the Bandits pay with a subsequent RBI-double and RBI-single respectively, extending Beloit’s lead to 8-1.

Newton entered the ballgame in place of first baseman Jac Caglianone, who was ejected by home plate umpire Christian Argueza for arguing balls and strikes in the third inning.

While left-hander Hunter Patteson took over in the fourth and kept the Sky Carp bats at bay with 3.0 perfect frames, including four strikeouts, Carson Roccaforte trimmed the River Bandits’ deficit to 8-4 in the fifth, launching a three-run homer off Sky Carp starter Will Schomberg, but the bullpen trio of Josh Ekness (2.0 IP) and Jack Sellinger (1.0) kept the score locked for the next three innings.

Beloit then got back in the run column against AJ Block in the eighth, as Ignoffo capped off a four-hit, four-RBI game with a two-run double, while Wilfredo Lara pushed the Sky Carp lead to 11-5 on a sacrifice-fly.

Roccaforte padded his line to a four-RBI performance of his own with an RBI-double in the top of the ninth off Josh White.

Despite allowing 10 baserunners in 5.0 innings, Schomberg (1-1) struck out seven and earned his first High-A win after being traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Miami Marlins on July 30. Owen (6-7) was saddled with the loss for Quad Cities after surrendering five runs on five hits, two walks, and three strikeouts.

The River Bandits will have one final opportunity to secure a win of their six-game set with Beloit in Sunday’s series finale and send Oscar Rayo (3-0, 2.23) to the hill opposite Ike Buxton (2-6, 4.94). First pitch at ABC Supply Stadium is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.