Chase McDonald homers in fifth straight multi-hit game for Quad Cities, which loses, 7-4
DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 17, 2014) - The Fort Wayne TinCaps became the first visiting team to hit three home runs in a game at Modern Woodmen Park this season, as catcher Adolfo Reina homered twice, and right fielder Franmil Reyes added another in a 7-4 TinCaps win over the Quad Cities River Bandits, who dropped a season-high fifth straight game in front of 5,376 Thursday night.
For a fifth straight game, Quad Cities saw its opponent take at least a five-run lead against its starting pitcher. Right-hander Andrew Thurman allowed a game-opening triple by shortstop Trea Turner down the left-field line, and designated hitter Dustin Peterson hit a sacrifice fly to left-field for his league lead-tying 70th RBI, giving Fort Wayne (9-17 second half, 39-56 overall) a 1-0 lead.
On Thurman's first pitch of the second inning, Reina hit his first home run to left field, where it reached a leg of the Ferris wheel on one bounce. In the third inning, Turner had a bunt single, Peterson reached on an error by third baseman J.D. Davis, and with one out, Reyes launched his eighth home run of the season to left-center field for a 5-0 TinCaps lead. Thurman allowed two home runs in a game for the first time in his career and was charged with four earned runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts in four innings, matching the longest any River Bandits starter has pitched in the previous four games.
TinCaps right-hander Jimmi Brasoban (1-4) worked around a hit and walk to face the minimum through the first three innings. In the fourth inning, River Bandits right fielder Brett Phillips led off with his second single to right field, and left fielder Marc Wik bounced a ground ball off the glove of first baseman Jake Bauers to put runners at first and third bases. With one out and Wik running from first base, designated hitter Ronnie Mitchell hit an RBI single through the vacated shortstop hole, and first baseman Chase McDonald followed with a single to left field. With two outs, second baseman Jose Fernandez lined a single to left-center field, cutting the deficit to 5-3. Brasoban retired the next four batters to match his season high of five innings, allowing one earned run on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
After extending his season-high seven-game hitting streak, McDonald hit a two-out, solo home run - his seventh of the season - off the center-field batter's eye to make it 5-4 against right-hander Josh Richardson. Richardson set down four straight to finish two relief innings.
River Bandits left-hander Chris Lee kept the deficit to one run through the seventh inning, as he allowed one hit and two walks with one strikeout in three relief innings. Right-hander Frederick Tiburcio started the eighth inning, and Reina smacked his first pitch out to left-center field for his second home run - and the first by any batter against Tiburcio since Aug. 13, 2013. Center fielder Ronnie Richardson doubled to right-center field, moved to second base on left fielder Nick Schulze's single and scored when second baseman Rey Bruguera reached on a roller misplayed by Holberton on the first-base line, allowing Fort Wayne a 7-4 lead. A walk loaded the bases before Tiburcio got a popup for the first out, but left-hander Albert Minnis entered to get two ground-ball outs and work 1 2/3 scoreless relief innings.
TinCaps right-hander Ryan Butler pitched the final two innings to earn his first save. He got help from the TinCaps third double play of the night in the eighth inning. Quad Cities brought the tying run to bat in the ninth, but pinch hitter Brett Booth grounded into a fielder's choice.
Quad Cities (12-13, 47-48) has its first five-game losing streak since Aug. 12-17, 2013, and seeks to snap it in Friday's 7 p.m. series finale with Fort Wayne. River Bandits right-hander Jandel Gustave (5-4) is scheduled to face TinCaps right-hander Cody Hebner (0-1).
UP NEXT: Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Friday with a Pint Glass Giveaway presented by the Illinois Farm Bureau for the first 1,000 fans on Agriculture Night. The 7 p.m. game will be followed by Friday Fireworks, presented by Smart Toyota of the Quad Cities, WLLR and WQAD. 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.
