Nivens’ Tenth August Blast Lifts Quad Cities Over Lansing
Davenport, Iowa – Spencer Nivens homered for the sixth time in six ballgames and finished a double shy of the cycle, as the Quad Cities River Bandits defeated the Lansing Lugnuts 3-2 on Wednesday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Before he left the yard, Nivens gave the Bandits a 1-0
Davenport, Iowa – Spencer Nivens homered for the sixth time in six ballgames and finished a double shy of the cycle, as the Quad Cities River Bandits defeated the Lansing Lugnuts 3-2 on Wednesday night at Modern Woodmen Park.
Before he left the yard, Nivens gave the Bandits a 1-0 lead with a third-inning RBI-triple, the only run of the game scored against Lugnuts’ starter Wander Guante. The right-hander would go on to retire the final seven batters he faced in a 5.0-inning, one run effort.
Quad Cities’ starter, Henry Williams, faced the minimum in his 5.0-frame night, picking up a pair of strikeouts and inducing three double plays to help stamp out any Lugnuts’ rallies.
The River Bandits bats provided more run support in the sixth, extending the lead to 3-0 against Will Johnston on Carson Roccaforte’s RBI-single and Nivens’ solo homer. The blast marks the outfielder’s 15th of the season, his 14th in the second half, and his minor league-best tenth in the month of August.
After Nate Ackenhausen posted a scoreless sixth inning in his River Bandits and professional debut, Connor Fenlong collected a strikeout in a scoreless seventh, but the Lugnuts picked up three of their game’s four hits with one out in the eighth and trimmed Quad Cities’ lead to 3-2 on Cole Conn’s two-run double. However, the right-hander would get Danny Bautista Jr. to flyout to end the frame and strand the tying run at second.
Quad Cities failed to add to its lead against Yehizon Sanchez (1.2 IP, 2 SO) in the bottom of the eighth, but the one-run advantage would be enough for Natanael Garabitos, who pitched a one-two-three ninth to secure his season’s second save and Quad Cities’ win.
Williams (5-4) needed just 52 pitches to complete his 5.0-inning start and earn the win, while Guante (1-2) was saddled with his second loss of the season. Ackenhausen (1) and Fenlong (4) both earned holds out of Quad Cities’ bullpen.
The River Bandits continue their six-game set with the Lugnuts tomorrow night and send reigning Midwest League Pitcher of the Week Ethan Bosacker (5-1, 1.57) to the hill opposite Luis Morales (2-2, 3.88). First pitch at Modern Woodmen Park is set for 6:30 p.m.