Roberto Pena ties a career high with four hits and leads Quad Cities with three RBIs
GENEVA, Ill. (JULY 5, 2013) - Catcher Roberto Pena tied a career high with four hits, and right-hander Jordan Jankowski was the first Quad Cities River Bandits pitcher to toss seven innings in a start this season, but the team could not hold a lead for more than a half-inning in an 8-7 road loss to the Kane County Cougars at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark Friday night.
The River Bandits (10-5 second half, 48-36 overall) quickly lost a 1-0, first-inning lead and a 3-2, sixth-inning lead but took their largest advantage, 6-3, into the bottom of the eighth inning to put Jankowski in line for a win. Right-hander Juri Perez allowed two walks and a hit within the first four batters to load the bases with one out. Quad Cities right-hander John Neely entered and proceeded to allow all three inherited runners to score with a walk, hit batter, and a game-tying single by third baseman Giuseppe Pappacio.
In a 6-6 tie with one out and the bases loaded, Cougars second baseman Gioskar Amaya dropped a hit just past first base down the right-field line and reached second base for a two-run double that gave Kane County an 8-6 lead. Neely (2-5) got the next two batters but was charged with two earned runs on two hits in 2/3 of an inning.
Trailing, 8-6, in the ninth inning, Quad Cities assembled a two-out rally against right-hander Justin Amlung. Designated hitter Jesse Wierzbicki was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on defensive indifference and scored on Pena's third RBI and fourth single - matching his first career four-hit game Aug. 27, 2011 with Lexington. But left fielder Dan Gulbransen grounded to second base for the final out.
The River Bandits took their first lead when center fielder Teoscar Hernandez hit the team's first leadoff home run of the season against Cougars left-hander Brian Smith, who set down the next 10 batters in order. The Cougars answered against Jankowski with center fielder Albert Almora's one-out triple and first baseman Dan Vogelbach's two-run home run in the bottom of the inning.
The score remained 2-1 in favor of Kane County (4-11, 34-47) until the sixth inning, when River Bandits right fielder Jordan Scott drew a leadoff walk and scored on shortstop Carlos Correa's game-tying double to left-center field that chased Smith. Right-hander Lendy Castillo entered and allowed Pena's go-ahead single with one out to give Quad Cities a 3-2 lead. But Almora slapped a game-tying home run to left field on Jankowski's first pitch of the bottom of the sixth innning.
In a 3-3 tie starting the eighth inning, Castillo walked Correa, Wierzbicki singled, and Pena hit his second go-ahead RBI single of the night. Two batters later, first baseman Jobduan Morales grounded a two-run double up the first-base line. Castillo walked the next two batters to load the bases with one out, but Hernandez grounded into an inning-ending double play to keep the River Bandits' lead at 6-3.
Quad Cities has lost its last four games in Kane County after winning the first five meetings at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. River Bandits right-hander Mike Hauschild (5-1) will try to stop the skid against Cougars right-hander Jose Rosario (0-4) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
UP NEXT: Golf Night and the John Deere Classic Celebration open the River Bandits' six-game homestand Wednesday against the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Modern Woodmen Park. Fans can also enter copies of the bills into a drawing to be one of the two paid up to $100 by the River Bandits on a Pay Your Bill Wednesday presented by U.S. Bank and Mix 96. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.
