Charles Homers, Arms Shine in Quad Cities’ Win Over T-Rats

Davenport, Iowa – Austin Charles launched his first High-A homer while Quad Cities’ pitching staff racked up 14 strikeouts and held Wisconsin to two hits in the River Bandits’ 5-1 win over the Timber Rattlers at Neuroscience Group Field.

Starter Mason Miller set the tone on the mound for the River Bandits, striking out six over a 5.0-inning start. The left-hander’s lone blemish came in the opening frame, when Jesus Made plated Andrew Fischer on an RBI-ground-out.

Though Rattlers’ starter Manuel Rodriguez held Quad Cities off the board through the first third of the ballgame, Austin Charles blasted the Bandits into the lead in the fourth, plating Daniel Vazquez with a go-ahead two run shot over the left-field wall.

Sam Kulasingam extended the River Bandits’ lead to 3-1 with an RBI-single in the fifth, marking the final run surrendered by Rodriguez.

After Miller’s departure, Andrew Morones picked up right where the southpaw left off, striking out four over back-to-back scoreless innings, locking up his season’s first hold in the process.

In the ninth, Nolan Sailors capped off his first-career four-hit game and followed Carter Frederick’s RBI-double with an RBI-single to push the Bandits’ lead to 5-1.

Right-hander Hunter Alberini worked a spotless eighth and ninth inning for Quad Cities and struck out four Rattlers of his own en route to his first professional save.

Miller (1-1) faced just one over the minimum in the winning effort, while Rodriguez (2-5) was saddled with the loss for Wisconsin, allowing three runs over 4.2 innings.

Quad Cities returns to Neuroscience Group Field for game two of the set tomorrow night and sends Emmanuel Reyes (0-2, 5.71) to the mound opposite Tanner Gillis (2-2, 2.65). First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m.