Bandits Rally But Fall Short Against Giants

(From www.htrnews.com) Twelve hits and a strong pitching effort weren't enough to earn the Manitowoc Bandits a win on Wednesday night. 
The Oshkosh Giants broke a 3-3 tie with single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to squeak out a 5-3 win over the Bandits in a Wisconsin State League game at E.J. Schneider Field.
Brennan Rhode and Matt Roberts, both making their Bandits' debuts, held Oshkosh to eight hits in the game and combined for eight strikeouts.
Rhode worked the first five innings, surrendering six hits and three runs, while Roberts — who suffered the loss — fanned allowed two hits and two runs in three innings.
"Their pitching was a big positive. They showed up on short notice and realized that they were pretty much it for us," player/manager Josh Krowiorz said. "They showed a lot of poise and kept us in the ball game all night."
Manitowoc (33-21 overall, 14-16 in the WSL) trailed 3-0 when it finally got on the board in the fifth. Consecutive two-out singles by Doug Bloom, Nat Richter and T.C. Lee highlighted the rally, which Brock Wetenkamp started with a lead-off single.
The Bandits then tied the score in the top of the seventh when Bloom doubled and later scored on a passed ball.
But Oshkosh answered in the bottom of the seventh with the go-ahead run, and the Bandits managed only a two-out double by Richter in the ninth the rest of the way.
Bloom, Richter, Wetenkamp, Mike Hall and Max Stepan each finished with two hits for Manitowoc, which outhit Oshkosh 12-8 in the game.
Kyle Kannenberg struck out seven and did not walk a batter to earn the win for Oshkosh.
The Bandits will be at home on Friday night hosting the De Pere Riverbandits in a Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League game slated to start at 7:30 p.m., before welcoming Kenosha to Municipal Field on Saturday for a doubleheader at 1 p.m.