Cougars out-slugged by River Bandits
DAVENPORT, IA. - A saving grace for the Kane County Cougars (7-8, 46-46) is that they have already sealed their playoff fate. But for the third straight time this series, the Cougars fall in Davenport opposed by the Quad Cities River Bandits (11-4, 48-35), this time by a 13-3 score. After capturing an early lead in the away half of the first, Quad Cities followed with three multirun innings and dispatched of the Cougars early, as the River Bandits stay atop the Western Division standings.
It is the first time the Cougars have been swept in a series of any length since May 3rd, when the Cougars lost two at the hands of the South Bend Cubs.
Responding well out of the gate after being shutout the night before, the Cougars were on the board in the first inning. Facing winning righty Ronel Blanco (3-2), Ramon Hernandez's single scored leadoff man Ben Deluzio as the Cougars went up 1-0.
The lead was short-lived as the River Bandits plated three in the home half of the first against eventual losing southpaw Mack Lemieux (3-3). Marcos Almonte got things started with a walk, as Carmen Benedetti singled. With Daz Cameron at the dish, an errant pickoff throw from catcher B.J. Lopez sent Almonte home. And Cameron's subsequent RBI triple gave Quad Cities the lead. Wander Franco also chipped in with a run knocked in as the River Bandits took a 3-1 advantage.
Adding to their cushion, the River Bandits posted another multirun frame plating two in the second. Ray Henderson leadoff the frame with a double and scored on Carmen Bendetti's ground ball single. At it again, Cameron guided a sacrifice fly to center as Almonte scored for the second time.
In the fourth, the Cougars chipped away at the lead with an RBI base hit from Adam Walton. But Quad Cities more than made up for the run with a six spot in the fourth inning. The River Bandits did so on two big hits. First, Benedetti slugged a bases loaded clearing double. And then, Franco belted a three-run home run. At the end of four, the River Bandits' lead had swelled to nine runs.
The River Bandits added two more in the home half of the sixth against right-hander Jeferson Mejia (1-1) to cap off a big scoring night. Right-hander Carson LaRue added a three innings save, his first of the season, but with two outs in the ninth, Walton added a home run, his first of the season to provide some late life.
On Friday, the Cougars commence a four-game road set at Beloit with a 7 p.m. first pitch. On the mound for the Cougars, All-Star right-hander Sam McWilliams (8-3, 2.58 ERA) duels Beloit's southpaw Kyle Twomey (1-1, 6.89 ERA).