Bobby Borchering hits solo home run for Quad Cities in defeat
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (JULY 18, 2013) - The Fort Wayne TinCaps had 11 combined hits from eight different players and a go-ahead two-run home run in the third inning by first baseman Diego Goris on the way to an 8-3 win over the Quad Cities River Bandits at Parkview Field Thursday night.
Quad Cities (14-11 second half, 52-42 overall) lost its sixth game in the last eight but twice held a lead over the TinCaps (10-16, 53-42).
Right fielder Teoscar Hernandez led off the game against TinCaps left-hander Max Fried (4-4) with a single to center field, reached second base on a passed ball, and scored on a single by shortstop Carlos Correa. TinCaps center fielder Mallex Smith was hit by a pitch from River Bandits right-hander Vincent Velasquez (6-4) to start the bottom half of the first inning. Smith stole second and third bases before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Goris to tie the game, 1-1.
River Bandits first baseman Bobby Borchering led off the second inning with his second home run in eight Midwest League games for a 2-1 lead. He has now homered from each side of the plate while with Quad Cities. The lead remained until a third-inning, two-out error by River Bandits third baseman Brian Blasik allowed TinCaps second baseman Maxx Tissenbaum to reach, and Goris swatted his third home run of the season to left field for a 3-2 Fort Wayne advantage.
Fort Wayne extended the lead in the fifth inning, when Tissenbaum singled, Velasquez hit Goris with a pitch, and third baseman Gabriel Quintana hit an RBI single to right-center field before designated hitter Chris Burke lofted a sacrifice fly to center. Velasquez departed with a 5-2 deficit after allowing three earned runs on five hits, no walks, and two hit batters, while striking out four in five innings. His third-inning strikeout of Smith made Velasquez the first Midwest League pitcher to post 100 strikeouts this season. He now has 102.
Following Borchering's home run, Fried only allowed one runner past second base, as two singles were erased by a Fried pickoff and a throw from left field by Luis Domoromo to cut down catcher Roberto Pena at second base. Fried allowed five hits, two runs - one earned - and one walk while striking out five in five innings.
The TinCaps added a run in the seventh inning on a Tissenbaum sacrifice fly against right-hander Gerardo Sanchez, but Correa hit an RBI double in the eighth inning to close within 6-3 against right-hander Matthew Chabot. A walk brought the tying run to the plate with one out, but left-hander Chris Nunn got Pena to fly out and struck out Borchering to end the inning. Two more runs for Fort Wayne in the eighth inning against right-hander Jamaine Cotton put away the home team's victory, which Nunn closed out for his seventh save.
Friday night's rubber match will feature Quad Cities right-hander Mark Appel (0-0) and Fort Wayne right-hander Matthew Shepherd (4-1), with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Central Time.
UP NEXT: Modern Woodmen Park is a nominee for the "Best Minor League Ballpark" in the 2013 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, and fans can vote once per day at 10Best.com until the winner is announced Aug. 14. The River Bandits return to Modern Woodmen Park Tuesday, July 30. 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.
