Cougars win 10th consecutive series

One night after setting a season-high for the longest game in 2015, it took the Kane County Cougars (23-5, 59-37) less than two hours to defeat the Quad Cities River Bandits (16-12, 61-35) 5-2 at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark Thursday evening. It was the Cougars' 10th consecutive series win.

Justin Ferrell kept the Cougars offense hitless through the first four and two-third innings, until Ryan Gebhardt broke up the potential no-no with a two-out single. In the sixth inning, the Cougars pounced on Ferrell with Quinnton Mack's leadoff double and following single from Chuck Taylor. Victor Reyes broke up the scoreless tie with an RBI base hit to plate Mack.

Doubling their lead in the seventh, Gebhardt led off with a single and scored on Elvin Soto's RBI base hit off Quad Cities reliever Jorge Perez (1-2).

After Ethan Elias twirled six scoreless innings against the River Bandit offense, Wei-Chieh Huang (5-1) took the mound in the seventh. The Taiwanese right-hander provided one out before Bobby Boyd and Jason Martin connected on back-to-back triples. Alex Bregman's RBI sac fly tied the game 2-2 and denied Elias of the win.

Perez (1-2) quickly put himself in jeopardy as he walked the leadoff man Victor Reyes to being the eighth. The right-handed reliever eventually walked the bases loaded, but also recorded two outs. Gebhardt then lifted a fly ball to shallow right-center field that was dropped by River Bandit outfielder Bobby Boyd. Reyes and Marty Herum both scored as the Cougars retook the lead. Soto punched in another RBI single for good measure.

The Cougars travel to Peoria for a three-game series against the Chiefs. Markus Solbach (9-2, 2.30) will throw for the Cougars against Peoria's left-hander Austin Gomber (9-3, 3.10). First pitch from Dozer Park is at 7 p.m.