Beloit, Wisconsin – Sky Carp right-hander Aiden May shut out the River Bandits over 6.2 innings Friday, as Quad Cities (45-45, 15-12) lost consecutive games for just the second time this month after a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Beloit (45-48, 18-10) at ABC Supply Stadium.
While May faced just two over the minimum during his longest outing of the season, River Bandits’ left-hander David Shields completed his third 6.0-inning start of the year, but fell behind in the opening frame after allowing three-straight two-out base runners and a two-run double to Cody Schrier.
A passed ball added another Beloit run in the third before a home run off the bat of Esmil Valencia put the Sky Carp up 4-0 after four innings.
Shields picked up the third and fourth of his night’s five strikeouts in a perfect fifth inning, but fell victim to Schrier again in the sixth as the designated hitter delivered another RBI-double.
After Michael Perez helped May keep Beloit’s shutout bid intact through seven frames, the right-hander struck out a pair and got help from a caught stealing in the eighth when Tyriq Kemp was nabbed by Wilson Weber trying to take second base.
While Nick Conte and LP Langevin both worked scoreless innings in relief of Shields to keep it a 5-0 Beloit lead, Quad Cities did not plate a run or get a man to third base until the Bandits were down to their final out in the top of the ninth.
After Derlin Figueroa drew a walk against Justin Strom to extend the game, the Quad Cities’ third baseman took second on defensive indifference and came around to score on Chris Brito’s RBI-single. Storm walked Jose Cerice to put two aboard and the game-tying run in the on-deck circle, but got Erick Torres to ground out and end the game.
May (4-2) needed just 77 pitches and struck out four to earn the win, while Shields (8-5) allowed five runs on seven hits, one walk, and five strikeouts in the losing effort.
Quad Cities, having dropped three of its first four matchups against the Sky Carp this week, returns to ABC Supply Stadium for game five of the six-game series tomorrow and sends Royals’ No. 1 prospect Kendry Chourio (2-1, 2.55) to the mound opposite Carson Laws (1-6, 6.61). First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.