Cougars fall 12-5

A 13-hit effort from the Quad Cities River Bandits included 8 extra-base hits (3 home runs) as the Kane County Cougars fell 12-5 on Sunday at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.

Roberto Pena blasted a solo shot off Tayler Scott (4-4) in the second inning to get the River Bandits (50-36, 12-5) on the board. It was a 1-1 tie at that point, with Marco Hernandez putting the Cougars (34-49, 4-13) on top with a two-out RBI single in the first.

Quad Cities went ahead for good in the third as Dan Gulbransen doubled home Teoscar Hernandez. Gulbransen scored on a double from Jesse Wierzbicki.

Scott left the contest with two outs and two on in the sixth in favor of Armando Rivero. After walking the first batter he faced, Rivero surrendered a grand slam to Brian Blasik, putting the River Bandits in front by 6.

A comeback effort was created by the Cougars in the sixth, chasing Colton Cain (4-5).

Albert Almora drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Jeimer Candelario double that also pushed Dan Vogelbach to third.

Three batters later, Gioskar Amaya lifted a flyball to center that Jordan Scott caught but then threw into the stands, allowing Vogelbach and Candelario to come home.

In the seventh, the Cougars drew even closer against Gerardo Sanchez. Kevin Encarnacion cracked a double and crossed the plate on a Vogelbach sacrifice fly. Rivero let up a solo shot to Rio Ruiz in the top of the eighth before Stephen Perakslis surrendered 4 runs in the ninth.

The Cougars wrap up their five-game set with the River Bandits on Monday with a noon start from Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. Left-hander Michael Heesch (3-7) starts for the Cougars against righty Lance McCullers (4-4).