Quad Cities handles Dragons 15-5

Dayton's Jacob Hurtubise prepares to round third base after advancing from second on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt in the third inning of Wednesday night's game at Day Air Ballpark. Hurtubise was stranded at third. Jeff Gilbert/CONTRIBUTED

Dayton's Jacob Hurtubise prepares to round third base after advancing from second on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt in the third inning of Wednesday night's game at Day Air Ballpark. Hurtubise was stranded at third. Jeff Gilbert/CONTRIBUTED

The Quad Cities River Bandits broke a 5-5 tie with six runs in the sixth inning and added four more in the eighth as they defeated the Dayton Dragons 15-5 on Wednesday night. 

The teams have split the first two games in the series.

Dragons lead-off man Jacob Hurtubise reached base five times, going 3 for 3 with a walk and hit batsman. He raised his batting average to .333 on the year and extended his hitting streak to eight games.

James Free became the first Dayton player to collect two doubles in a game this season, picking up two RBI in the process. Quin Cotton and Victor Ruiz also had two hits for Dayton.

The Dragons bullpen, which had allowed just nine earned runs over the last 11 games, surrendered 10 runs in four innings of work. Johnnie Schneider (0-2) was charged with the loss after giving up five runs in one-third of an inning.

Despite the loss, the Dragons (11-9) remained in a tie for first place in the East Division with Lake County, which lost on Wednesday to West Michigan, 1-0 in 10 innings. 

Quad Cities improved to 14-5, the league’s best record.