Perfect Fourth of July: Cougars Beat Quad City 3-2 in 11 Innings

The Cougars would ensure themselves of a series win against the Quad City River Bandits with a 3-2 win in 11 innings.

Alex Llanos had three hits Monday night, with the tying run batted in, and the game winning run batted in. He also had a sacrifice bunt earlier in the game. In the ninth inning down 2-1 the Cougars faced Hector Corpas in relief. Jake Kuebler led it off with a walk. Travis Jones bunted him to second. One out later, he would get to third on a wild pitch. Llanos then doubled to left to bring home Kuebler.

In the eleventh new Bandit pitcher Cale Johnson couldn't find the strike zone. He would walk Kuebler on four pitches. Then Jones tried to bunt him to second but, Johnson still couldn't find the strike zone so he walked on four pitches. Orlando Calixte followed that with a sacrifice bunt. The only problem is that Johnson's throw was late, everyone safe and the bases loaded with nobody out.

Llanos stepped up to the plate and singled to right to bring home Kuebler to win the gam

Yordano Ventura started for the Cougars and went the furthest he has gone this year. He went into the seventh and pitched pretty well. He would give up four hits and two runs. Also two walks and get seven strikeouts.

The Cougars bullpen was great. Mitch Hodge came in after Ventura and went one and one third innings of perfect relief. Nick Rogers then went three innings for his first win of the season. He would give up two hits and walk one.

Ventura gave up his first run in the third with one out, Kolten Wong walked, then moved to second on a wild pitch. Colin Walsh doubled to left to score Wong. The other run he gave up came in the fifth. Wong would hit his first professional homerun to put the Bandits up 2-1.

Cougars pitchers did have to get out of some trouble in the game. In the second inning, Nick Longmire led off with a double down the left field line. Nick Swinson then walked. Ventura would be able to get a grounder for a double play and a strike out to get out of troubl

The next time Quad City had more runners on and didn't score came in the 10th against Rogers. With one out, Victor Sanchez and Geoffrey Klein both singled. Rogers would then get a fly out and a ground out to get out of trouble. In the 11th he would give up a leadoff walk to pitch hitter Ronny Gil. Rogers then picked him off of first.

Kane County did have some runners today, as they left 11 runners on base in the game. In the second Cheslor Cuthbert led off with a single. Kuebler then grounded into a double play. In the fourth, Jones and Orando Calixte led off with singles. Llanos then bunted them over into scoring position. Bandit starter Boone Whitting then struck out Julio Aparicio and Angel Franco popped up to end the inning.

Whitting would pitch seven innings, and give up five hits and one unearned run. He walked one and struck out seven. The one run he gave up came in the fourth inning, Geulin Beltre led off the inning by reaching on an error by the shortstop. Beltre then stole second. Brett Eibner lined to right, and Beltre faked a move to third. The rightfielder threw to third and the ball went the stands. That would allow Beltre to score on the error.

The seventh inning would see the Cougars get the bases loaded and two outs and not score any runs. Kuebler led off with a bunt single to third. Two outs later, Llanos singled to left and Aparicio was hit by a pitch. Angel Franco lined a one hopper to first, that was fielded by first baseman Victor Sanchez to end the inning.

Next Game 7/5 vs Quad City, Noon. Anthony Ferrara (6-4, 3.21) vs Jason Adam (2-3, 4.1

Notes: The Cougars made a roster move today as, Kevin David, was added to the roster to bring the roster up to the full 25. Santiago Garrido will start for the Cougars on Wednesday in replace of Leonel Santiago. Santiago is only missing one start due to how many innings he has pitched.