River Bandits' rally goes to waste
Luis Bautista finished what he started Tuesday night at Modern Woodmen Park.
After sending Peoria on its way to a comfortable lead with an RBI double in the second inning, the Chiefs first baseman cleared loaded bases with a triple in the top of the 10th to force Quad-Cities to stomach a 10-6 Midwest League loss.
The win ended a seven-game losing streak by Peoria and wasted a six-run rally by the River Bandits in the game’s late innings.
“That was a heckuva way to lose a game,” Quad-Cities manager Steve Dillard said. “It was a pretty strange one all the way around.”
The Chiefs’ Jovan Rosa struck out to open the 10th inning, but the ball bounded off his leg and up the first-base line, allowing him to reach first on a wild pitch.
“I felt bad for Jason (Alper, the home plate umpire). He felt like he made the right call, but the fans got on him pretty good,” said Dillard, who questioned the call at the time. “Unless you do it intentionally, the ball is live, and I don’t think the kid did it intentionally.’’
Pinch runner Elvis Lara took third when Brandon Guyer doubled down the line left and when Quad-Cities reliever Cardoza Tucker Jr. hit Marquez Smith with a 2-2 pitch, the bases were temporarily loaded before Bautista cleared them with a triple to the gap in right-center.
A fielder’s choice by Leon Johnson brought Peoria’s final run home, preceding a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th that saw Chiefs reliever Steve Vento (4-1) strike out the side.
“We needed a win in the worst way, and we had to fight to the end to get it,” Peoria manager Ryne Sandberg said. “The way we had things in hand early, that would have been a tough one to lose, but our guys showed some character. They had something left when they needed it.’’
The win ended the longest losing streak by Peoria since 2003, something Dillard was wary of even before his team took the field.
“I’d almost rather face a team that had won seven straight. When you face a team in a slump like that, you know it’s just a matter of time before they break out of it,’’ Dillard said.
Chiefs starter Hung-Wen Chen allowed only a Charlie Kingrey single through five innings before the River Bandits tagged him for five runs in the sixth.
“Chen was pretty sharp, almost unhittable,” Sandberg said. “But, we were playing a good-hitting team that didn’t go away.’’
By the time the River Bandits rallied, a three-run homer by Dylan Johnston pushed Peoria toward a 6-0 lead but in the sixth, a run-scoring double by Tommy Pham and a two-run homer by Matt Arburr brought Quad-Cities within one run.
“Chen had one rough inning against us down there last week. We kept at it and he finally let us back into it,” Dillard said.
As Nick Additon worked four innings of one-hit relief to give the River Bandits a chance, Quad-Cities tied the game in the eighth when Pham reached on a bunt single, took second on a wild pitch and scored on a double down the line in right by Francisco Rivera.
On deck
Peoria Chiefs at Quad-Cities River Bandits, 7 p.m., today, Modern Woodmen Park. Probable pitchers: Peoria, Billy Muldowney (0-0, 1.53 ERA); Quad-Cities, Chuckie Fick (0-1, 1.64). Autographed baseball giveaway, American Idol Night and Wacky WINS-Day
Going deep
When Matt Arburr belted a two-run homer to pull Quad-Cities within 6-5 in the sixth inning it marked the Midwest League-worst 39th time in 44 games that Peoria pitchers have given up a homer.
Only one other pitching staff in the league — Fort Wayne with 33 — has surrendered more than 27 homers this season.
Short start
Tuesday’s start was the shortest of the season by Bandits starter Mark Diapoules.
The right hander who had not allowed more than four hits in his previous five starts for Quad-Cities gave up six runs on six hits in a 31/3-inning outing.
“This game will humble you. I’ve seen that happen to several guys this season, but they’ve come back strong,’’ Bandits manager Steve Dillard said. “I’ve had several scouts tell me he has as much life on his sinker as anybody they’ve seen, but he wasn’t getting a lot of sink in this game.’’
Working overtime
Quad-Cities played just its second extra-innings game of the season and is 1-1 in those games.
Cutting the ribbon
The River Bandits held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their new hot tub deck before Tuesday’s game.
“It’s our first capital improvement project at the stadium, and the feedback we’ve gotten has been good. We expect it to be full most of the summer,’’ Quad-Cities general manager Kirk Goodman said.
The ribbon cutting took place as workers assembled a tiki bar that is expected to be open when the River Bandits begin a May 28 homestand with Burlington.
Steve Batterson can be contacted at (563) 383-2290 or sbatterson@qctimes.com.