Cougars slammed 8-2

DAVENPORT, Iowa — Gary Apelian’s grand slam in the eighth inning busted open an 8-2 victory for the Quad Cities River Bandits over the Kane County Cougars on Friday night at Modern Woodmen Park.

Quad Cities grabbed the early lead as Nick Martini singled with one out against Jason Mitchell (4-7) in the first inning. Two batters later, Stephen Piscotty punched home Martini to give the River Bandits a 1-0 lead.

Sam Gaviglio (9-9) kept the Cougars (66-71, 32-35) off the board in the first two innings, but Gaviglio gave up the lead in the inning.

Chris Elder doubled with one out and scored on a Justin Trapp double, tying the game at 1-1. Trapp scored when Jack Lopez doubled down the third-base line.

Quad Cities quickly evened the score in the bottom of the third as Colin Walsh’s RBI single brought home Matt Williams.

Mitchell kept the game tied until the sixth, when the River Bandits scored a pair. David Medina’s double to left scored Juan Castillo, and Medina scored on an error by Trapp after a lined smash up the middle by Jordan Walton.

Quad Cities put the game away in the eighth as Cole White walked two batters around a Luis Mateo single before Apelian’s slam.

Dixon Llorens (second save) recorded the final six outs for the River Bandits.