Photo: Manuel, Mark (uploader)
In a battle between arms, the Quad Cities River Bandits finished on the right side of the scoreboard as they beat the Beloit Snappers 3-1 on Thursday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Despite both starters combining to strike out just eight batters over 13.0 innings, neither A.J. Block nor Bryan Hoeing allowed an earned run in the contest.
The first lead of the game went to the River Bandits who scratched across an unearned run in the bottom of the third. After Gavin Stupienski recorded a leadoff single off of Hoeing, the righty quickly retired the next two batters before Michael Massey reached on the third and final hit off of the Beloit starter.
With Seuly Matias at the plate and runners on the corners, Massey stole second and drew a throw from Beloit catcher Dustin Skelton, who airmailed the baseball into center and allowed Stupienski to plate the 1-0 Bandits’ lead.
Working with the lead, Block faced just two over the minimum over his final three innings and struck out a pair in the sixth, his final frame.
Hoeing, after the Q.C. run in the third, stranded a pair of walks in the fourth and then retired 10-straight Bandits’ to conclude his day in the seventh.
Will Klein took over for Quad Cities and picked up right where Block left off and struck out two in a clean seventh, but then allowed a leadoff triple to Ricky Aracena who would come around to tie the game two batters later when Kameron Misner doubled in the tying run with two outs and a two-strike count.
Now knotted up at 1-1, the Snappers went to Anthony Maldonado for the bottom of the eighth who allowed a leadoff single to Maikel Garcia, his second hit of the night, and then two batters later, allowed Massey’s 22nd double of the season, and RBI knock that gave his team the lead back at 2-1.
After Seuly Matias popped out with Massey in scoring position, John Rave insured Quad Cities’ lead in the same frame with an RBI triple to put the Bandits up by a pair.
Despite allowing two extra base hits in the eighth, Klein didn’t budge in the ninth and set down Beloit one-two- three for his fourth win of the season and his team’s 58th win of the year.
The River Bandits will look to guarantee themselves a split of the week-long series on Friday night and will get a start from Christian Cosby (3-2, 3.91) who will toe the rubber against M.D. Johnson (2-2, 1.67). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CDT.