GENEVA, ILLINOIS (May 21, 2019) — Cesar Salazar went 3-3 with two runs batted in and the pitching staff worked out of multiple jams to propel the Quad Cities River Bandits to a 4-1 win over the Kane County Cougars on Tuesday afternoon. The victory was the fourth in a row for the River Bandits and assured the team of a winning record on their current 12-game road trip with two games remaining.
Quad Cities (28-13) scored a pair of first inning runs with a light rain falling and never looked back. Austin Dennis and Ramiro Rodriguez opened the game with consecutive singles and were joined on base by Jeremy Pena who walked to load the bases with no outs. Back-to-back sacrifice flies from Marty Costes and Salazar put the Bandits in front by a 2-0 score.
Kane County (24-21) tallied their only run of the day in the third against starting pitcher Brett Daniels. After the right-hander retired the first eight hitters he faced, Tra Holmes laid down a bunt single on the third base line to reach base. Eduardo Diaz followed with a line drive double off of the left field wall that scored Holmes from first and cut the lead to 2-1. Daniels ended up going 6.0 innings, allowing just one more hit and striking out five to earn his first win.
The Bandits were able to push the lead to three with single runs in the fourth and eighth innings. Salazar doubled in the fourth and came around to score on a single from Jonathan Lacroix for a 3-1 lead. In the eighth, it was Jeremy Pena who doubled and then scored on Salazar’s base hit.
Austin Hansen stretched his scoreless innings streak to 23.0 innings by tossing the final 3.0 frames out of the bullpen. Kane County put a runner in scoring position in each of the three innings, but could never produce another run. Ross Adolph made a diving catch to close the seventh and Hansen stranded two men on base in each of the final two frames to collect his first save.
Lacroix and Adolph each joined Salazar with multiple hits in the contest. Costes did not register a hit, but drove in his sixth run of the series.
The River Bandits and Cougars will continue the series with another matinee on Wednesday for game three. First pitch is set for 11AM. The River Bandits will start RHP Jose Rivera (0-1, 135.00) while Kane County will counter with RHP Justin Lewis (2-3, 2.60).
Quad Cities (R-H-E): 4-10-1
Kane County (R-H-E): 1-6-0
Win: Daniels (1-3)
Loss: Tabor (0-1)
Save: Hansen (1)
HR: Quad Cities: None
HR: Kane County: None
All River Bandits games are broadcast on 1170 K-BOB and TuneIn Radio. Home games are also available with video on MiLB.TV.
