River Bandits Rally Past Rattlers

DAVENPORT, IA – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had a lead and let it get away from them on Thursday night at Modern Woodmen Park. The Quad Cities River Bandits erased a 3-2 Wisconsin lead with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and held off a late charge by the Rattlers for a 7-5 win.

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The River Bandits (65-33) took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. The frame started with two singles and a walk to load the bases. Wisconsin starting pitcher Nick Bennett got the first out on a force play at the plate. Then, Logan Porter lined a single to left to score two runs and Quad Cities was up 2-0.

The teams traded the lead back-and-forth in the fifth inning.

Wisconsin (47-52) rallied for three runs in the top of the fifth inning for a 3-2 lead. Kekai Rios doubled and Carlos Rodríguez singled to put runners at the corners. Rodríguez stole second with Joey Wiemer at the plate to get into scoring position.

Wiemer smashed a double off the wall in center to score both runners to tie the game and knock Quad Cities’ starting pitcher Dante Biasi out of the game. Zavier Warren drove in Wiemer with a two-out, RBI single to right to against reliever Kasey Kalich for the go-ahead run.

The Bandits came back in the bottom of the fifth after Bennett retired the first batter of the inning. A walk and a single set up Porter again and he doubled off the wall in left to drive in the tying run and that sent Bennett out of the game.

Brady Schanuel entered the game from the Wisconsin bullpen and gave up back-to-back RBI singles to Nathan Eaton and Eric Cole. Gavin Stupienski added a sacrifice fly in the frame and the River Bandits were up 6-3.

Nick Loftin added an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning for Quad Cities.

Wisconsin hitters went down quietly in the seventh and eighth innings, but threw a scare into the River Bandits in the ninth.

Freddy Zamora and Ashton McGee singled to start the final inning and an error on McGee’s single allowed Zamora to take third. LG Castillo’s fielder’s choice forced McGee at second but scored Zamora.

Rios collected his second hit of the game before a fielder’s choice by Rodríguez retired Rios at second for the second out. Pinch hitter Chad McClanahan walked to load the bases.

Felix Valerio drew another walk to force in Castillo and the Rattlers trailed by two with the tying and lead runs on base.

The River Bandits didn’t let the comeback go on any longer and a grounder to second ended the game.

Rodríguez had two hits on Thursday night as he collected his twenty-first multi-hit game of the season. Rodríguez is on a five-game hitting streak and is 10-for-21 with four multi-hit games during his streak.

Rios extended his own hitting streak to six games. The Wisconsin catcher is 12-for-22 during his streak.

The next game in the series is Friday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Wisconsin will go with Justin Jarvis (1-6, 6.27) as their starting pitcher. Charlie Neuweiler (2-2, 5.72) has been named as the starting pitcher for Quad Cities. Game time is 6:30pm. The radio broadcast is on AM 1280 WNAM and on internet audio with the pregame show at 6:10pm. The game is also available on MiLB.tv.