Sears Takes High-A Saves Lead, Bandits Bounce Back in Win Over Rattlers

Appleton, Wisconsin – Ben Sears collected his Midwest League-leading and High-A-best 13th save of the season Wednesday, as the Quad Cities River Bandits topped the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 3-1 at Fox Cities Stadium.

Sears’ mark not only leads all High-A pitchers, but also ranks the most for a Quad Cities’ hurler since Angel Heredia recorded 13 in 2015.

While the Timber Rattlers who took a third-inning lead Tuesday, it was Quad Cities who took control in the third inning Wednesday, as Trevor Werner’s sacrifice-fly followed Jac Caglianone’s RBI-double to put the Bandits up 2-0.

The two tallies were more than enough for Quad Cities starter, Henry Williams, who faced one over the minimum, struck out four, and needed just 43 pitches to complete a scoreless 4.0-inning start.

Wisconsin tagged Ben Hernandez for a run in the fifth, cutting the Bandits’ lead to one on Felix Valerio’s RBI-single, but the Bandits immediately got the run back in the sixth, moving up 3-1 on Dustin Dickerson’s RBI-single, his second run-scoring hit in as many games.

Hernandez responded with a scoreless sixth before handing the ball to Andrew Morones. The right-hander picked up three strikeouts in 2.0-scoreless innings and earned a hold, before Sears locked down the save with a strikeout of his own in a perfect ninth.

The win marked Hernandez’s (1-0) first in High-A, while Wisconsin starter Stiven Cruz (2-3) was saddled with the loss, allowing two runs on six hits, two walks, and three strikeouts over 4.0 innings.

Quad Cities continues its set with Wisconsin on Thursday night and sends Ethan Bosacker (6-1, 1.56) to the mound opposite Tyler Wehrle (2-2, 4.32). First pitch at Fox Cities Stadium is set for 6:40 p.m.