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By David Malamut author of Voice of A Season Ticket Holder (Kane County Cougars)
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
The Quad City River Bandits would end up their season with an elimination game loss in the first round by the Kane County Cougars. They would see a dominant pitching performance in the first game by SP Shelby Miller, their top prospect (ranked # 1).
In the first game Miller really was dominant, he would strike out 13 Cougars. He would give up two hits in seven innings of work. This was the sixth time the Cougars have seen him this year, and by far this is the best performance against them of the year. The Cougars would hit all of one ball hard off of him. He really had great command of his fastball, plus he was able to throw the curveball and changeup for strikes.
The Bandits were able to score first, with one out, Colin Walsh singled to center. He would get to second then third on a couple of wild pitches. Devin Goodwin would follow with a single to right to score Walsh
They would add an insurance run off of the bullpen in the seventh inning. Alan Ahmady led off with a double to left. Edgar Lara then singled to right to get Ahmady to third. Frederick Parejo followed with a single to left to score Ahmady. The final two runs for the Bandits came in the ninth inning. Lara led off with a walk. Ted Obregon then pitch ran and would be caught trying to steal second. One out later, catcher Robert Stock (ranked # 10) homered to right. Luis Mateo followed with a triple to right center. Ross Smith would single just past the short stop to score Mateo.
In the second game the Cougars would score five runs in the second inning and they would hold on. Michael Blazek started and had one really bad inning. In all he went six inning, giving up eight hits and five runs. He would walk one and strike out seven, plus give up two homers. Besides that inning he gave up three hits and no runs. Justin Smith then came in and shut down the Cougars for two innings, and Aaron Terry finished it off in the ninth.
Offensively the Bandits would chip away at the Cougar lead. In the second inning, Robert Stock singled home Alan Ahmady. In the sixth, Ahmady doubled home Colin Walsh. Lara then singled home Ahmady. In the ninth, Parejo singled home Lara.
In the final game of the series the Cougars would get a seven run sixth and the eight more runs in the final three innings to win,
15-7 and eliminate the Bandits from the playoffs. Daniel Bibona started and pitched into the sixth inning, he would give up four hits and four runs. He pitched great for the first five innings, getting seven strikeouts. He was even perfect for the first ten hitters, with five strikeouts. After that the roof caved in on the bullpen in the final four innings, as they would give up 12 of the runs.
The big thing is that the Bandits did not roll over and die after the seven run innings, they would come back and score four more runs. The scoring started for them in the first inning when Rainel Rosario hit a solo homer. In the fourth Robert Stock brought home Ahmady with a sacrifice fly. In the fifth, Devin Goodwin doubled home Nick Longmire. The seventh inning saw the Bandits score three times. Longmire brought home Mateo with a sacrifice fly. Cody Stanley brought home two runs with a single to right. In the ninth, Juan Castillo brought home Ahmady for the final run of the season.
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