River Bandits open series with big win

DAVENPORT, Iowa - Hector Roa tied the game with a home run in the third and the Quad Cities River Bandits never looked back en route to an 8-2 series-opening victory over the Kane County Cougars on Friday night in front of 5,143 fans at Modern Woodmen Park. The series-opening victory snapped a four-game skid for Quad Cities.

Dexture McCall and Randy Cesar drove in two runs each for the River Bandits (27-27, 59-65) in the win. Hector Perez (2-0) struck out seven over 5.2 innings while giving up just one run on four hits to pick up the victory. Juan Santos allowed only one run on two hits while striking out six in a 3.1 inning relief appearance to earn his third save in the 8-2 win over Kane County (22-32, 55-69).

The Cougars took an early lead in the second frame. Joey Armstrong reached on a soft single and stole second base. Sergio Alcantara drove him home with a RBI-single to put Kane County on top 1-0.

Roa and the Bandits responded in the bottom of the third inning. Roa led off the frame with a mammoth solo-homer over the left field berm. The fifth home run of the year for Roa tied the game, 1-1.

Quad Cities took the lead with two unearned runs in the fifth. Stephen Wrenn led off the bottom of the frame by reaching on a fielding error by third baseman Fernery Ozuna and then stole second. Wrenn scored on a single from Anthony Hermelyn to push Quad Cities on top. A two-out single from Kristian Trompiz plated Roa, who was hit by a pitch, giving the Bandits a 3-1 advantage.

The River Bandits added to the lead in the sixth. Arturo Michelena led off the inning with a walk and reached scoring position on a passed ball. Cesar drove him home with a looping single to make it a 4-1 game.  

The Cougars got a run back in the top half of the seventh. Armstrong led off with a double and later scored on a sac fly from Alcantara to cut the Bandit lead to two, 4-2.

Quad Cities opened the floodgates with a four-run bottom of the seventh. Jake Rogers worked a leadoff walk and Trompiz followed with a bunt single. McCall knocked a two-run double to start the scoring in the frame. McCall crossed home on a double from Cesar. Wrenn capped off the big inning with a RBI-single to plate Cesar and Quad Cities took an 8-2 lead to the eighth.  

Jose Almonte (2-4) dropped the decision for the Cougars over his five-inning start. The righty allowed three runs, one earned, on three hits while striking out nine in the game. Hector Hernandez allowed four runs on four hits in an inning of relief.  

The River Bandits and Cougars continue the series on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. CT. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and the first 1,500 fans will receive a replica of Modern Woodmen Park courtesy of EGS. Quad Cities has not announced a starting pitcher for the game and the Cougars send RHP Emilio Vargas (3-6, 3.90) to the mound. You can catch the radio broadcast with Jake Levy and Lance Ragland, starting with the River bandits On-Deck Show at 5:45 p.m. on 1170 AM K-BOB, riverbandits.com and the TuneIn app.