DAVENPORT, IA – Four Quad Cities River Bandits pitchers kept the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers off the scoreboard on Tuesday Night at Modern Woodmen Park. The River Bandits scored all their runs after two outs on the way to a 5-0 victory over Wisconsin in game one of the six-game series.
Quad Cities (48-54 overall, 18-19 second half) scored a two-out run in the bottom of the first inning on a two-out, RBI single by Carson Roccaforte.
The River Bandits added to their lead in the bottom of the third inning on a two-out, two-run home run by Trevor Werner.
Ryan Ramsey, the Quad Cities starting pitcher, struck out six as he held Wisconsin scoreless on three hits over five innings.
The Rattlers (65-37, 23-13) threatened in the sixth inning against reliever Oscar Rayo. Cooper Pratt doubled to start the inning, his second double of the game. Rayo got the first out before he walked Luke Adams and hit Eduardo Garcia. Rayo escaped the inning with a 4-6-3 double play to keep Wisconsin off the scoreboard.
In the top of the eighth, Wisconsin loaded the bases with one out against Chazz Martinez. Pratt doubled with one away. Martinez hit Jadher Areinamo and Adams on consecutive pitches. Wisconsin could not score as Martinez got a strikeout and a popout to end the inning.
The Bandits added two more two-out runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Wisconsin reliever Tyler Wehrle, who got the final out in the bottom of the fifth and worked a scoreless sixth and seventh, walked the first two batters he faced in the eighth. An attempted double steal was foiled when catcher Ramόn Rodríguez cut down the lead runner at third. However, a third walk put two runners on base again. Wehrle got the second out with his sixth strikeout of the game, but the runners were going on the pitch and this double steal was successful.
Omar Hernandez lined a 1-2 pitch to right to score both insurance runs for a 5-0 lead.
Felix Valerio walked with two outs in the top of the ninth inning but was left stranded as Natanael Garabitos closed out the game with a strikeout. Wisconsin had five hits, were hit by pitches four times, and drew three walks, but stranded ten runners and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
The Timber Rattlers had not been shut out since May 16 in a 6-0 loss to Beloit at home. Tuesday’s shutout ended a streak of 65 consecutive games in which the Rattlers had scored at least one run.
Pratt led the Rattlers offense by reaching base in all four of his plate appearances. He walked in the first inning and doubled in the third, sixth, and eighth.
Game two of the series is Wednesday evening at Modern Woodmen Park. Mark Manfredi (5-2, 4.25) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Quad Cities has named Henry Williams (3-4, 4.43) as their starter. Game time is 6:30pm CDT.
