Quad Cities Beats Wisconsin with a Five-Run Eighth inning

DAVENPORT, IA – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning on Tuesday night at Modern Woodmen Park against the Quad Cities River Bandits, the team with the best record in the High-A Central League. Then, Quad Cities rallied for five runs in the bottom of the eighth and went on to a 5-3 victory over the Rattlers.

Wisconsin (18-19) took advantage of the wildness of Quad Cities starting pitcher AJ Block in the third inning to take the lead. Block walked the first three batters he faced in the inning to load the bases. Gabriel García drove fly ball to right that was deep enough to score Yeison Coca. The flyout also advanced Hayden Cantrelle to third and Garrett Mitchell to second. Thomas Dillard was next and he singled to score both Cantrelle and Mitchell for a 3-0 lead.

Quad Cities (23-13) got something rolling against Wisconsin starter Carlos Luna in the bottom of the fourth as Vinny Pasquantino doubled and Michael Massey walked to start the inning. Luna got out of the inning as he got Eric Cole to line into a double play and Jake Means to ground out to third.

Freisis Adames took over for Luna in the bottom of the fifth inning and worked two innings without incident. In the seventh, Adames gave up a lead-off single and a two-out error put River Bandits on the corners. Adames got out of the inning by getting Tucker Bradley on a popup to shallow right and the Rattlers carried that 3-0 lead to the eighth.

Quad Cities started the bottom of the eighth with a double by Jeison Guzman off reliever Arman Sabouri. Nick Loftin was next and his hit was ruled a double to knock in Guzman. Sabouri got the first out of the inning ono a grounder that moved Guzman to third base before walking Michael Massey to put the tying run at the plate.

Nash Walters took over on the mound and to face Eric Cole, who lined a 3-2 pitch down the line in left for a game-tying, two run double. Jake Means was next and he hit a two-run homer to left on an 0-1 offering to five the River Bandits their first lead of the game.

Je’Von Ward started the top of the ninth inning with a single off Mitch Ellis. Hen, Ellis retired the next three batter to close out the game with no more drama.

Game two of the series is Wednesday night. Justin Bullock (1-0, 0.00) gets the start for the Timber Rattlers. Angel Zerpa (3-0, 2.27) is set to start for the River Bandits. Game time is 6:30pm. Catch all of the action on AM 1280 WNAM starting with the pregame show at 6:10pm. The game will be available on internet audio and through MiLB.tv, too.