The Quad Cities River Bandits scored ten runs in the first five innings to beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 10-5. Cayden Wallace led the Bandits with a double, triple, homer, two runs scored, and four RBI.
The River Bandits (1-5 second half, 33-39 overall) ambushed Wisconsin starting pitcher Tyler Woessner in the first inning. A four-pitch walk started the frame. Herard Gonzalez tripled on a 1-0 pitch to score the first run of the game. Gavin Cross smacked a single through the drawn-in infield to score Gonzalez on a 2-0 pitch. Then, Wallace punished a 3-2 pitch from Woessner for a long home run to left for a 4-0 lead.
Woessner bounced back to retire nine of the next ten batters he faced.
The Rattlers (4-2, 30-40) got on the scoreboard in the top of the second when Ernesto Martínez Jr left the yard to right with a solo homer.
Wisconsin continued to chip away with a run in the top of the third. Ben Metzinger doubled to start the inning. A wild pitch moved Metzinger to third. Terence Doston knocked in Metzinger with a chopper up the first base line and the Rattlers were within two runs.
Quad Cities got those runs back in the bottom of the fourth. Juan Carlos Negret singled. Shervyen Newton followed one out later with a two-run home run to right and the Rattlers were down 6-2.
Robert Moore kept the Timber Rattlers on the comeback trail with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the fifth. The hit got the Rattlers back to within two runs and extended Moore’s current on-base streak to eighteen games.
However, the River Bandits kept the pace as they scored four more runs in the top of the fifth inning to knock Woessner out of the game. Gonzalez singled and Cross reached on a fielder’s choice. Wallace ripped a triple to left-center to score two runs. Then, Carter Jensen homered to right and the Bandits were up 10-4.
Woessner entered Friday’s game with just one home run allowed in 66-2/3 innings pitched. He had made four previous starts in June and had only allowed seven runs in 22-1/3 innings pitched.
Emotions ran very high in the top of the seventh inning. Wisconsin had runners at second and third with two outs when Matt Wood sent a blooper down the line in left that appeared to be fair for a two-run double. The ball was called foul by plate umpire Cliburn Rondon. Wisconsin manager Joe Ayrault, who was coaching third base and waving the runners home, immediately started to argue after he realized the call. Ayrault was ejected from the game.
A passed ball would let a run score in the inning, but that would be the final run of the game.
Ryan Brady did yeoman’s work out of the Wisconsin bullpen to hold the Bandits off the scoreboard after he got into the game. Brady pitched four scoreless innings, allowed two hits, walked none, and struck out four.
The loss ended Wisconsin’s four-game winning streak. Quad Cities snapped a six-game losing streak with their victory.
Game four of the series is set for Saturday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Edwin Jimenez (2-1, 3.74) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. David Sandlin (0-1, 4.50) is set to start for the River Bandits. Game time is 6:30pm CDT.
