QC Ends Series Finale with 11 Unanswered in 12-2 Win Over Cubs
SOUTH BEND, IN - Quad Cities stole Saturday night’s game with a two-run ninth and three-run 10th, then they came out with a flurry and hammered South Bend 12-2 in the series finale. The Cubs had a 1-0 and 2-1 lead but the River Bandits blasted away for six runs
SOUTH BEND, IN - Quad Cities stole Saturday night’s game with a two-run ninth and three-run 10th, then they came out with a flurry and hammered South Bend 12-2 in the series finale.
The Cubs had a 1-0 and 2-1 lead but the River Bandits blasted away for six runs in the third to take firm control of the game. They would go on to add three runs in the sixth and two more tallies in the seventh.
Pedro Ramirez singled with two outs in the first inning off River Bandits starter Ethan Bosacker, scoring the first run on an Ethan Hearn double to right that followed. In the next half inning Quad Cities came right back and tied it on a sac-fly from Justin Johnson.
The back-and-forth affair continued early with the home team snatching back the lead on a Jordan Nwogu solo blast to left in the bottom of that same second inning.
That’s when the third inning came and Brooks Conrad’s side grabbed the game by the reins en route to the series clinching victory. Jared Dickey pulled the River Bandits level with the leadoff homer, his eighth of the year. A couple of singles and an error gave them their first lead against Cubs starter Grant Kipp, who was making his first appearance this year at Four Winds Field after spending the majority of the year on the 60-Day IL.
The next five batters all reached and four came around to score. Chris Brito got plunked by a pitch and then two runs scored on a Justin Johnson double. After a walk to Deivis Nadal, Kyle Hayes picked up his first hit this year with the River Bandits, a bases-clearing double down the line in left.
Kipp didn’t finish the inning and the Cubs fell behind 7-2.
Four straight batters reached with two down in the sixth leading to three more River Bandits runs. With two guys on Carson Roccaforte hit a a little league homer that brought everyone home. He chopped a grounder to first that snuck under the glove of Brian Kalmer and then Rafael Morel’s throw to second base sailed into the left field bullpen to plate all three men.
A two-run bomb from Nadal in the seventh, a towering blast to right off Tyler Santana, brought home the final runs of the contest.
The Cubs continue this nine-game homestand on Tuesday against the Peoria Chiefs.