DAVENPORT, Iowa - Quad Cities scored four runs in the sixth and three in the eighth to come from behind Tuesday night and knock off Cedar Rapids 8-3.
Brandon Winokur began the series in Davenport with a bang. On the first pitch of the game, Winokur lined a home run to left to instantly put the Kernels on top 1-0.
Quad Cities pulled even in the bottom of the third. Asbel Gonzalez singled to begin the inning, and after he stole second, he scored on a Luke Pelzer RBI double to tie the game at 1-1.
The Kernels regained the lead in the fifth. With one out, Henry Kusiak blasted a solo home run to left center to put Cedar Rapids back ahead 2-1. After the next batter, Miguel Briceno, singled, he scored all the way from first base on a Luis Hernandez RBI double to grow the lead to 3-1.
The River Bandits rallied back in the sixth. A walk put a runner on for Tyriq Kemp, who tied the game, 3-3, with a two-run home run. After Angel Acosta singled, Nolan Sailors slugged the second Quad Cities two-run home run of the inning, a go-ahead shot to left, to put the River Bandits on top for the first time, 5-3.
Quad Cities added on in the eighth. A Jose Cerice single followed by a Kemp double put two in scoring position before a wild pitch plated a run to make it 6-3. With Kemp now on third, Acosta upped the lead to 6-3 with a sacrifice fly. Two batters later, Asbel Gonzalez walked, stole second, moved to third on an error and scored on a Pelzer RBI single to push the River Bandits’ advantage to 8-3, the score that would be the final.
The loss drops the Kernels to 32-41 on the season and to 1-8 in the second half. Game two of the series in Quad Cities is set for Wednesday at 6:30. Riley Quick gets the start opposite David Shields.