Walk-Off Win Helps Bandits Split Twin Bill with Kernels

Davenport, Iowa – The Quad Cities River Bandits split their doubleheader with the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Wednesday, taking game one 3-2 in walk-off fashion, but dropping game two 5-0 at Modern Woodmen Park.

Two Kernels accounted for all of Cedar Rapids’ during the night, with Gabriel Gonzalez’s first-inning sacrifice-fly and sixth-inning solo home run leading the visitors to a 2-0 lead entering the seventh inning of game one.

Despite Dustin Dickerson’s leadoff single, Kernels’ reliever Gabriel Yanez got Quad Cities down to its final out and its final strike of the game, but a Jack Pineda double extended the rally and put the tying runs in scoring position for Carter Jensen who—celebrating his 21st birthday—tied the game with a two-run single and advanced to second on an error as the game-winning run.

Jared Dickey then battled through a 10-pitch at-bat, fouling off four two-strike pitches, and drove in Jensen on a walk-off drive to right field.

After a 5.0-inning, one-run start from Henry Williams, who also struck out a season-high matching seven Kernels, Connor Fenlong (1-0) earned his first High-A win out of the bullpen, allowing one run over 2.0 innings of relief.

Jeremy Lee tossed 5.0-scoreless innings in his start for the Kernels, but Yanez (4-2) took the loss, blowing his fourth save of the season and his second to Quad Cities.

Game two was marked by Cedar Rapids’ shortstop Rayne Doncon, who gave the Kernels a 2-0 lead on the second pitch of the game with a two-run homer and then struck for a three-run homer in the second.

Natanael Garabtions (1.2 IP) and Oscar Rayo (2.0 IP) would hold the Kernels to just two base runners for the remainder of the game, but the Bandits bats failed to ever break into the run column including, going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

The trio of Mike Paredes (3.1 IP), Jarrett Whorff (2.2 IP), and Juan Mendez (1.0 IP) handed Quad Cities its ninth shutout loss of the season, with Whorff earning the win out of the bullpen. River Bandits’ starter Hunter Patteson (0-2) retired five of the final six batters he faced, but was responsible for both Doncon homers in the losing effort.

Quad Cities will open another three-game set with the Kernels in Cedar Rapids, beginning Thursday at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Left-hander Hunter Owen (6-3, 3.55) is slated to get the start for Quad Cities against Kernels’ right-hander Ty Langenberg (2-0, 6.60). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.