Rattlers Hold on For Game One Win Over Bandits

Davenport, Iowa – The River Bandits held the Timber Rattlers to two hits Tuesday, but a Jadher Areinamo solo shot wound up the difference the difference in the ballgame, as Wisconsin shut out Quad Cities 1-0 to take Game One of the Midwest League West Division Championship Series at Modern Woodmen Park.

Starter Ryan Ramsey set a new career-high with nine strikeouts and held Wisconsin without a hit through the first four innings of the night, only blinking in the fifth when Areinamo sent the southpaw’s first pitch of the inning over the left-field berm.

Quad Cities created traffic against Rattlers’ starter Alexander Cornielle, but couldn’t break through, as the right-hander allowed two hits—both to Justin Johnson—and four walks, but stranded them all over his 5.2-inning outing.

After helping Cornielle erase a pair of runners in the sixth, Mark Manfredi allowed a leadoff single to Sam Kulasingam in the seventh. Omar Hernandez attempted to bunt the game-tying run into scoring position, but popped into a double play.

The River Bandits then rallied with two outs, as Johnson struck for his third single of the night and Spencer Nivens drew a walk, but Manfredi again escaped the danger, getting Jac Caglianone to pop out and end the threat.

Andrew Morones (2.0 IP) and Ben Sears (1.0 IP) relieved Ramsey and each posted a scoreless line to close out the game, with Morones collecting three strikeouts along the way.

Manfredi worked a one-two-three eighth and secured a hold before passing the ball to Tyler Bryant for the ninth. Dustin Dickerson doubled to open the frame and advanced to third one batter later on a fly ball, but was forced to stay at third when Rattlers’ shortstop Cooper Pratt robbed Hernandez of a game-tying hit with a diving catch one batter later. Bryant then struck out Johnson on a full-count pitch to lock down the 1-0 win.

Cornielle (1-0) earned the win in his eighth-career appearance against Quad Cities, while Ramsey (0-1) was saddled with the loss despite posting his fourth quality start of the season.

Down 1-0 in the series, the River Bandits continue the three-game set in Appleton, with Game Two, scheduled for 6:40 p.m. on Thursday night at Fox Cities Stadium. Ethan Bosacker (7-1, 1.97) is slated to get the start opposite Wisconsin’s Will Rudy (6-8, 4.61).