Game Preview - @ Siren 7/26 7pm, @ Chisago 7/27 7:30pm

The St. Croix River Bandits (8-14, 11-19) hit the road for 2 games this week. Thursday night the Bandits will take on the Siren Steelers in Siren. The Bandits won the first game against the Steelers via forfeit and the 2nd game they won 12-9 in a sloppily played game by both teams, combining for 17 errors....no joke. The Bandits defense has much improved since then and hope they can take another one from the reeling Siren Steelers, who have been struggling this season.

The Bandits travel on Friday into Chisago (15-7, 17-8) for there final meeting against the Bulldogs this season. The Bulldogs have beaten the Bandits 12-6 and 8-3 in their earlier meetings this season. However, in both of those games the Bulldogs have scored 4 runs in the last 3 innings to blow the games open, which were neck and neck. The Bandits look to minimize errors and play some smart baseball against this playoff bound team. Jim Rochford figures to take the mound for the Bandits. Rochford is 3-6 this season, but his ERA over the last month and a half has been 3.51 with 24k and only 12BB in 43 1/3 IP. Rochford gave up 4 earned in just over 6 IP in his last start in Chisago.