DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 8, 2014) - The Kane County Cougars scored in each of the first four innings Tuesday night, while right-hander Paul Blackburn pitched five innings to win his third straight start and combined with two relievers to strike out 13 Quad Cities River Bandits in the visitors' 7-3 win in front of 3,790 at Modern Woodmen Park.
Cougars catcher Kyle Schwarber had a game-high three hits and started a first-inning rally with a two-out, opposite-field double to the left-center field gap off right-hander Edison Frias (5-4). First baseman Jacob Rogers drove in Schwarber with double to the same gap, and he later scored for a 2-0 lead on a double down the third-base line by right fielder Kevin Brown, making his Midwest League debut for Kane County (13-4 second half, 58-29 overall). In the second inning, Frias allowed a leadoff single by third baseman Jeimer Candelario. Candelario went to second base when second baseman Ben Carhart walked with two outs, to third base when River Bandits catcher Jake Rodriguez's pickoff attempt went in to center field, and scored when a pitch got past Rodriguez for a passed ball.
Quad Cities (10-8, 45-42) came closest in the bottom of the second inning, when third baseman Tyler White drew a two-out walk, and second baseman Marc Wik drove his second home run in a week off the batter's eye in center field to cut the deficit to 3-2. Kane County answered in the next half inning with Brown's first Midwest League home run to right field, extending his team's lead to 4-2.
The Cougars chased Frias in the fourth inning. Candelario led off with his second single to right field, and left fielder Shawon Dunston Jr. hit a line drive to right field, where Brett Phillips misplayed the ball to allow each runner two extra bases and score another run. Frias worked ahead of the next batter, Carhart, to an 0-2 count before hitting him with the pitch, which would be his last in 3 1/3 innings. Left-hander Albert Minnis entered with a 5-2 deficit and yielded Schwarber's second double to score a run and make it 6-2. All six runs - five earned - were charged to Frias, who allowed seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts and had his four-start winning streak snapped.
In his first Midwest League outing since June 13, Minnis went on to pitch a season-high 3 2/3 innings, only allowing an unearned run in the sixth inning, when Dunston Jr. singled, went to second base on an error by White, stole third base and scored on Schwarber's groundout for his second RBI and a 7-2 Cougars lead.
After Blackburn struck out six batters and allowed two earned runs on three hits and three walks, right-hander Zak Hermans began the sixth inning, and Phillips greeted him with his team's only hit after the third inning - his seventh home run of the season to right field - that made it 7-3. Quad Cities has homered in seven straight games - its longest streak in more than two years - and has a total of 12 in the streak.
After Phillips' home run, Herman allowed two walks but no other hits while striking out five batters in three innings, and right-hander Corbin Hoffner struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Quad Cities continues its series with Kane County at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Modern Woodmen Park. River Bandits left-hander Blaine Sims is scheduled to make his Midwest League debut against Cougars right-hander Daury Torrez (9-3).
UP NEXT: Rascal the River Bandit will celebrate his birthday with mascots from around the region before the 7 p.m. game Wednesday at Modern Woodmen Park. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for Jimmy Buffett Night, and fans can bring copies of their unpaid bills to be entered into a drawing to be paid up to $100 on Pay Your Bill Wednesday, presented by U.S. Bank and Mix 96. Tickets are available at www.riverbandits.com. To order any of the River Bandits 2014 ticket plans - with new lower prices - call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.
