Bandits lose 7-run lead to squander sweep
GENEVA, Ill. - The Quad Cities River Bandits scored seven runs while batting around in the second inning to take an 8-1 lead, but they lost their largest lead in a game in more than two years, as the Kane County Cougars rallied to ultimately take the lead in the eighth inning of a 10-9 win that kept the visitors from sweeping the three-game series at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark Sunday afternoon.
The River Bandits (34-21 second half, 79-44 overall) lost a seven-run lead for the first time since April 6, 2013 (also an 8-1 advantage at Kane County in a 13-10, 11-inning win) and lost a game in which they held a seven-run lead for the first time since April 16, 2010, when they squandered a 9-1 lead at Clinton in an 11-10, 11-inning loss. On Sunday, Quad Cities put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position in the ninth inning with one out, but Cougars closer Zac Curtis retired left fielder Drew Ferguson and center fielder Jason Martin on consecutive groundouts to end the third straight one-run contest between the teams with the two best records in the Midwest League.
Quad Cities scored its first seven runs off Cougars left-hander Josh Taylor. In the first inning, center fielder Jason Martin hit a one-out single to right field, stole second base and scored on designated hitter Ramon Laureano's RBI single to left field. Kane County (38-17, 74-49) immediately tied the score in the bottom of the inning against right-hander Brock Dykxhoorn, as shortstop Ildemaro Vargas had a leadoff bunt single, stole second base and scored on second baseman Henry Castillo's RBI single.
In a 1-1 tie beginning the second inning, River Bandits catcher Trent Woodward and shortstop Kristian Trompiz began their respective three-hit games with consecutive singles. Taylor walked third baseman Luis Reynoso, before Ferguson hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly to right field. Martin then popped up a bunt that catcher Elvin Soto dropped when he collided with Taylor near the first-base line. With the bases loaded, the next six batters each collected an RBI. First baseman Bryan Muñiz singled, and Laureano walked to end Taylor's outing after 1 1/3 innings. Left-hander Hector Hernandez - a River Bandit in 2011 and 2012 in the St. Louis Cardinals organization - then allowed three straight singles to second baseman Jose Fernandez, right fielder Ryan Bottger and Woodward, who had two hits in the inning. Trompiz's sacrifice fly made it 8-1 before Hernandez escaped. Taylor was charged with seven runs - six earned - on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts, while Hernandez lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and a second-inning earned run while striking out two batters.
The Cougars' comeback began in the bottom of the second inning against Dykxhoorn. Third baseman Joe Munoz and Soto hit consecutive singles, and Vargas chopped a one-out ground ball off Muñiz's glove to score Munoz. Dykxhoorn's one-out balk scored Soto, and Castillo's two-out RBI single made it 8-4. In the fifth inning, first baseman Marty Herum hit a leadoff double to right-center field and scored on Munoz's two-out RBI single. After Quad Cities added a sixth-inning run against right-hander Jency Solis on Bottger's sacrifice fly that scored Martin, the Cougars answered in the bottom of the sixth inning with right fielder Victor Reyes' walk preceding Vargas' two-run home run. That finished Dykxhoorn's start, after he allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits (both career highs) in five-plus innings.
Left-hander Zach Davis (0-1) relieved Dykxhoorn for two scoreless innings, matching Cougars right-hander Ryan Burr (1-0). But with a 9-7 lead in the eighth inning, Davis began by hitting Vargas with a pitch, and designated hitter Cody Regis added an infield single. Castillo hit an RBI single to center field, and Herum drove a go-ahead, two-run double to right-center field for a 10-9 lead. In the ninth inning, Woodward greeted Curtis with a leadoff single. Curtis' error on Trompiz's sacrifice put runners at first and third bases, and Reynoso sacrificed Trompiz to second base before Curtis and Herum handled consecutive ground balls to give Curtis with his league-best 29th save.
Quad Cities opens a six-game homestand at 7 p.m. Monday against Clinton. River Bandits right-hander Dean Deetz (2-1) is scheduled to face LumberKings left-hander Jarrett Brown (2-7) in the opener of the teams' final series meeting this season.
UP NEXT: The River Bandits open a six-game homestand with Military Monday presented by 97X and ESPN 93.5. All veterans and active military may purchase up to four bleacher tickets for $1 each to attend the 7 p.m. game, with gates opening at 6 p.m. Monday. Individual tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office and online at riverbandits.com. Ticket plans of 12 to 70 games - which include free parking, reserved seats, merchandise discounts, and guaranteed giveaways - are available by calling 563-324-3000.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: With the installation of the Ferris Wheel, the River Bandits ownership in 2014 made one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931, and this year the club is matching that effort by opening three new areas. A two-tiered special group deck immediately behind and overlooking the corn field opened in June. A new 11,000-square-foot concourse expansion down the third-base line will open late August. Finally, the club has expanded the children's play area by an additional 5,500 square feet down the right-field line, with additional bounce houses and the newest ride - Spin Zone Bumper Cars - as the latest attraction.