Roccaforte, Rayo Lead Bandits to Series-Clinching Win

Davenport, Iowa – Carson Roccaforte launched a three-run homer and Oscar Rayo turned his first High-A quality start as the Quad Cities River Bandits defeated the Lansing Lugnuts 3-1 on Sunday afternoon at Modern Woodmen Park. The victory secured the Royals affiliate's third-straight series win.

The blast first-inning blast, Roccaforte’s 10th of the season, was all the offense the Bandits needed. Despite allowing a season-high eight hits, Rayo completed a season-high 6.0-inning start with three strikeouts, only allowing one run to the Lugnuts on Ryan Lasko’s fifth-inning RBI-single.

After Lansing starter Kade Morris departed after 4.1 innings, Garrett Irvin (1.0 IP) and Blaze Pontes (2.2 IP) held Quad Cities off the scoreboard and to just four baserunners for the remainder of the game, but Shane Panzini (1.2 IP) and Chazz Martinez (1.1 IP) were up to the task themselves, combining for 3.0-scoreless, hitless innings out of the Bandits’ bullpen and earning their season’s first hold a save respectively.

Despite not driving in a run, Spencer Nivens capped off a 12-hit series with a 2-for-3 performance, elevating his August OPS to a High-A-best 1.269.

Rayo (5-0) needed just 74 pitches to earn his first win of the season, while Morris (0-5) was saddled with his fifth-straight loss as a member of the Lugnuts.

Next up, Quad Cities heads to Appleton for its final road trip of the season and opens a six-game series with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on August 27 at Fox Cities Stadium.