Cougars win 5-2, tie series
DAVENPORT, Iowa - With early offensive support, the Kane County Cougars tied up the series with a 5-1 victory over the visiting Quad Cities River Bandits. The Cougars received another fantastic start from right-hander Jon Duplantier, fresh off his minor league player of the month award for May. Duplantier went for 6⅓ innings on 7 hits, 2 runs (2 earned), with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks.
After falling in a heartbreaker the night prior, the Cougars took a 2-0 lead after the first inning. It all started on Anfernee Grier's base hit to right field scoring Marcus Wilson. And on an error by Carmen Benedetti in the outfield, Grier advanced to second. Grier eventually came home to score from a double play ball off the bat of Ramon Hernandez.
The River Bandits struck with a run of their own in the home half of the third. With another home run in the series, Osvaldo Duarte left the yard against Duplantier. It was the first run allowed by Duplantier since May 8, snapping a scoreless innings streak of 28 frames.
Yet a relentless Cougars offense plated 2 more in the fourth. Luis Silverio started the frame with his 10th double of the season. The next batter, Jose Herrera, plugged a ground ball past the right side for an RBI. Later in the inning, left-hander Cionel Perez (3-3), who suffered the loss, balked in a run as Herrera crossed the plate.
And in the sixth, the Cougars added more insurance against Perez. Silverio started the frame with a single and moved to scoring position on a wild pitch, and also eventually scored on a wild pitch. The Cougars led 5-1.
Quad Cities added one in the seventh, but that was all.