GENEVA, Ill. (August 12, 2014) - The Quad Cities River Bandits held a 3-0 lead entering the bottom of the ninth inning, but two errors, a home run, an infield popup, wild pitch, two walks and ultimately a walk-off single to left-center field by Kane County Cougars shortstop Daniel Lockhart led to the home team's four-run ninth inning and 4-3 win at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark Tuesday night.
After River Bandits right-handers Kevin Comer and Adrian Houser each pitched four shutout innings, right-hander Frederick Tiburcio started the ninth inning with a 3-0 lead. Cougars catcher Victor Caratini led off by grounding a ball to first baseman Chase McDonald, who threw to Tiburcio covering first base, but the pitcher dropped the ball for an error. Tiburcio fell to a 3-1 count against first baseman Jacob Rogers, who drove a two-run home run to right field - his Kane County-leading 14th home run - to cut Quad Cities' lead to 3-2.
With no outs, the bases empty and a one-run lead, Tiburcio got designated hitter Cael Brockmeyer to hit a popup near second base, but the ball dropped behind second baseman Marc Wik for a base hit that put the tying run at first base. After Carlos Penalver pinch ran for Brockmeyer, third baseman Jeimer Candelario lofted a fly ball to right-center field, where center fielder James Ramsay and right fielder Ryan Bottger converged, and Bottger was charged with the inning's second error when the ball dropped, placing runners at first and second bases. Second baseman Chesny Young then sacrificed the tying and winning runs into scoring position with a bunt that rolled up the first-base line to Wik with his foot on first base to record the inning's first out.
Tiburcio threw a wild pitch on his first pitch to right fielder Jeffrey Baez that got past catcher Brian Holberton to the backstop, allowing Penalver to score the tying run and Candelario to reach third base. In a 3-3 tie, Tiburcio intentionally walked Baez and center fielder Trey Martin to load the bases. With the infield in, Tiburcio struck out left fielder Shawon Dunston Jr. In a 1-1 count, Lockhart hit a fly ball toward left-center field that dropped between Ramsay and left fielder Bobby Boyd, scoring Candelario for a 4-3 Cougars win. It was Quad Cities' fifth walk-off loss of the season and first since June 2 at Wisconsin.
Cougars right-hander Jen-Ho Tseng retired the first eight River Bandits and did not allow a hit through 4 1/3 innings. Bottger's fifth-inning single was his team's first hit, but he was thrown out at second base trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt. In the sixth inning, shortstop Thomas Lindauer hit a leadoff single to left field, advanced to second base on Boyd's sacrifice, to third base on a wild pitch and scored the game's first run on Wik's sacrifice fly. Ramsay hit a two-out double down the first-base line and Tseng loaded the bases with walks to McDonald and designated hitter A.J. Reed. Right-hander Michael Wagner walked third baseman J.D. Davis to bring in the second run. Tseng allowed two earned runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Wagner also allowed a run in the eighth inning, when he issued a two-out walk to McDonald, and Reed and Davis each singled for a 3-0 lead.
Comer scattered a hit in each of the first four innings, twice stranding a runner at third base and matching Tseng for the first four innings. Houser began the fifth inning in a scoreless game and allowed lone hits in the fifth and seventh innings to toss four shutout innings. He retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced. Kane County did not have a hit with a runner in scoring position until Lockhart's walk-off single.
Quad Cities (25-25 second half, 60-59 overall) continues its series against Kane County (30-20, 75-45) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. River Bandits right-hander Andrew Thurman (5-7) is scheduled to face Cougars right-hander Paul Blackburn (9-4).
UP NEXT: A Fireworks Friday kicks off the next homestand, with a 7 p.m. game on City of Davenport Night and Global Cultural Night presented by Tyson Fresh Meats. When gates open at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the first 1,500 fans receive a Trevor Rosenthal Bobblehead courtesy of DHCU and FOX18. Sunday's 1:15 p.m. game is a Celebration and Appreciation of Senator Tom Harkin for 40 years of service with a bobblehead giveaway for the first 1,000 fans when gates open at noon. Tickets are available at www.riverbandits.com.
