Charles’ Big Night Propels Quad Cities to Game One Win

Davenport, Iowa – River Bandits’ shortstop Austin Charles collected three hits and drove in five runs Tuesday, as the Quad Cities River Bandits defeated the South Bend Cubs 8-3 in Game One of the Midwest League West Division Championship Series at Modern Woodmen Park.

All three of Charles’ hits came with at least one RBI, as the 22-year-old got the Bandits on the board first in the series-opener with a two-out RBI-single against Jostin Florentino in the bottom of the second.

Despite needing over 50 pitches to complete the first two innings of his start, Quad Cities’ left-hander David worked out of a bases loaded jam in the first and faced the minimum in the second inning, but a two-run homer from Angel Cepeda in the third put South Bend ahead 2-1.

Shields did not return for the fourth and was replaced by fellow southpaw Dash Albus who struck out four and allowed one baserunner over 3.0 innings of relief, a solo shot to Cubs’ top prospect Josiah Hartshorn in the fifth.

Following Florentino’s 4.0-inning outing, Brayden Spears faced the minimum and kept Quad Cities’ deficit at two after five, but saw six-straight River Bandits hitters reached to begin the bottom of the sixth.

After plunking Jose Cerice with a pitch to force home Quad Cities’ second run, Nolan Sailors and Charles tagged the right-hander with back-to-back RBI-singles, knocking Spears from the game and giving the Bandits a 4-3 lead.

While Ethan Bell worked the Cubs out of the sixth without surrendering another run, Quad Cities rallied with two outs against the right-hander in the seventh.

Following Derlin Figueroa’s single, Jose Cerice expanded his club’s lead to 5-3 with an RBI-double to left-center field. After Sailors prolonged the inning with a walk, Charles smashed a three-run homer over the left-field berm, giving Quad Cities an 8-3 lead.

Following Hartshorn’s home run in the fifth, South Bend totaled just three baserunners over the remainder of the ballgame, as Kamden Edge (1.2 IP, hold), Yimi Presinal (0.1 IP), and LP Langevin (1.0 IP) closed out the River Bandits’ win.

Albus (1-0) earned the win for Quad Cities, while Spears (0-1) was saddled with the loss for South Bend, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits, and one walk.

The River Bandits continue the West Division Championship Series against the Cubs on Thursday, September 10 at Four Winds Field in South Bend. Royals’ top prospect Kendry Chourio is slated to start opposite the Cubs’ Nazier Mule. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.