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The St. Croix River Bandits (3-12 conf, 4-18) pulled off an upset yesterday of the Hudson River Rats (10-4 conf, 15-9) in game #2 of Wannigan Day's Weekend. The Bandits were stomped by the River Rats earlier in the year, 12-2 at Hudson in late May, and the Rats had won their previous 10 games dating back to June 20th. The Rats also defeated the Bandits in each of their games last season, including a 16-0 drubbing at Oakey Park.
Bandits superstar Kyle Kahl was scheduled to miss the game, but Bandits manager Jim Rochford received a call 2 hours before gametime. It was Kyle. "Jimmy," he said "Do you think you'll need me today?"
"Oh my god Kyle, that's ridiculous, can you actually make it?" Rochford replied.
"The game starts at 1pm?....I'll be there at 12:50 ready to go."
Sure enough, Kahl rolls in a little early, 12:47 and some change...and its a good thing.
The Bandits started pitcher Jim Rochford on the mound. Rochford came off one of his worst outings of the season, against the Hager City Skeeters, allowing 11 hits and 6 earned runs in only 5 innings pitched. Rochford's game did not start off any better this time around.
Lead off batter Jason Hollar hit a screamer to center field that was caught by CF Gus Koecher for the first out of the inning. Andy LaBrosse hit a sharp single to left field which was followed by Brent Blegan hitting a towering homerun off a hanging slider to left center field, giving the Rats a 2-0 lead. River Rat legend Joel Schaffer scalded another ball to center field that was caught for the 2nd out. Jason Bast hit a line drive to right field for a single, and finally DH Brian Rudesill got underneath a pitch and popped up a lazy fly to left field. Rudesill's hit was the only one of the first six that didn't leave a dent in the baseball. Rats 2 Bandits 0.
The Bandits came right back in the bottom of the 1st inning. Gus Koecher led off the inning with a walk, and then stole 2nd base. After a Scott Lindholm strikeout, Matt Vold lined an RBI single into the outfield grass. Steve Siqueiros walked. Trevor Todd hit a light grounder to the left of the 2nd baseman. The Rat's Mitch Lewis was unable to turn the doubleplay, and only was able to get Todd out at first, with Bandits now having runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs. Kyle Kahl, who wasn't even planning on playing hit an 0-1 stung line drive to center field, scoring both Vold and Siqueiros and the Bandits took the lead. Bandits 3 Rats 2.
Rochford got into more trouble in the top of the 2nd inning. The Rats 7-8-9 hitters each reached with singles, loading the bases with 0 outs. Hollar hit a lazy fly ball to LF Michael Chelberg who caught the ball, and it was too shallow for Kirk Krumrei to score from 3rd. LaBrosse hit what appeared to be a possible double to the left center gap in the outfield. Gus Koecher came sprinting over on a perfect line, dove to his right, and made an outstanding fully laid-out catch, nearly somersaulting back over to show the umpire he had the ball. Krumrei, on third base, had expected the ball to land in for a hit and was near home when the catch was made. Krumrei had to run back to third base, and had no chance to tag up and score because he was had wandered too far off the base. Blegan then came up with 2 outs, having homered in his last at bat. Blegan hit the first pitch he saw right to third base, where Kahl threw him out at first. 3 hits, 0 runs. Bandits 3 Rats 2.
That score would remain the same until the 7th inning. Jim Rochford became unhittable, allowing only 3 hits and 2 walks from the 3rd thru the 8th inning, at one point retiring 11 Rats in a row.
For really the first time this season, the Bandits poured on some runs against a conference opponent during the 7th inning. Micheal Chelberg led the fiesta off with a one-out infield hit. Koecher singled and Lindholm was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Vold got his 2nd hit of the day, knocking in Chelberg and Koecher. The Rats lifted starting pitcher Davis Lenzen in favor of reliever Brian Rudesill after Lenzen fell behind Siqueiros 3-1, and then opted to intentionally walk Siqueiros to load the bases. Rudesill had Todd down 0-2 in the count, but Todd singled on the next pitch to right field scoring Lindholm and Vold, and getting Siqueiros over to 3rd base. Kahl was once again up with a runner in scoring position. Kahl quickly got into hole with the count 0-2, but managed to foul off Rudesill's next 4 pitches. Kahl finally got a hold of one and grounded to shortstop LaBrosse. Third base coach Jim Rochford had Trevor Todd stealing 2nd on the play, so LaBrosse didn't have time to get both Todd and Kahl on a doubleplay, and threw Kahl out at first, allowing Siqueiros to score. The Bandits scored 5 runs in total and now lead by a score of Bandits 8 Rats 2.
Rochford started the ninth in what would unfortunately be an exciting inning. Rochford started by giving up an 0-2 double down the right field line to Mitch Lewis. Chris Klein grounded out to 2nd for the first out of the inning and Lewis advanced to 3rd. Hollar was able to draw into a full count and was finally walked by Rochford. Seeing signs of fatigue, catcher Steve Siqueiros summoned Trevor Todd to pitch the last two outs of the game. However, the outing did not start off gracefully. Trying to pick off Hollar at first base, Todd threw wide, allowing Lewis to score and Hollar to reach 2nd. Todd walked LaBrosse but was able to get Blegan to pop out to 2nd. Joel Schaffer then picked a good time to get his first hit of the day, hitting a blazing ground rule double to right field, and bouncing over the fence, scoring 2 more runs. The Rats had cut the lead to 8-5. Bast then singled for the 3rd time in the game, this time to left field, and the ball got away from LF Chelberg, allowing Schaffer to score. Todd then walked Rudesill on 4 straight pitches, putting the tying run one first base. Todd refound the strike zone and zipped his first pitch to LF Paul Rupert right down the heart of the plate. Todd's next pitch was tapped right back to him, where he flipped it over to first base for the third and final out.
"This was a great victory for us, our first win versus Hudson. With these young guys like Koecher and Vold (currently HS seniors) playing with us every game next year we can expect a lot more hitting, and a lot more running, and a lot more excitment," said pitcher Jim Rochford after the game.
Next Game IS RESCHEDULED: JULY 26TH SUNDAY VS OSCEOLA, AT OAKEY PARK - WE ARE STILL THE HOME TEAM.
BOXSCORES are HERE
NOTES
The Bandits are 3-3 in conference play at home this season (nevermind the 0-9 away record).
Matt Vold is 10-20 this season with 11RBI in 5 games.
Kyle Kahl has struck out only 5 times in 57 at bats.
Game Balls
IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
Gus Koecher: 2-4, 2R, SB, Diving Catch, Diving Slides
Matt Vold: 2-4, 2R, 3RBI
Kyle Kahl: 2-4, 3RBI, 4A, 1PO, 0E
Honerable Mention:
Jim Rochford: 8 1/3 IP, 10H, 4ER, 3BB, 4K and a W
Unheralded Hero(es) of the Day:
The Fans. Lots and lots of fans out there today. We appreciate it.
WOW Play(s) of the Day:
Completely made up for that bore-fest which was Saturday.
Could be any of the following:
BANDITS
*Koecher's amazing diving catch to save 2+ runs in the top of the 2nd.
*Steve Siqueiros gets run OVER at the plate as he catches a relay from the outfield in the top of the 4th inning but hangs onto for the out.
*Koecher jumps over/around the catcher and tags homeplate, hyperextending his entire body, but scoring - none the less
*Kyle Kahl throwing one a bit short to Jeff Johnson at first base, who comes off the base and backhand swipes the back foot of Andy LaBrosse as he tries to leap away.
*Bandits hitting in general
*Jim Rochford giving up only 4 hits in 6 1/3 innings after giving up 6 in the first 2.
*Bases loaded, 0 outs, and giving up 0 runs.
RATS
Brent Blegan's blast-off homerun
Joel Schaffer's ground-rule double that took .73 seconds to leave the field once it hit the bat.
Diving catch in LF by Paul Rupert to take away a hit from Trevor Todd
Players Missing in Action
John Peterson - in Pain, lots of Pain
Estimated Attendance:
100-125
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