Gems fall behind early, lose third straight; four teams in Great River Division separated by half-game

PERU, Ill. — The Quincy Gems gave up four runs in the first inning and never recovered in suffering their third consecutive loss, an 8-4 decision to the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp on Saturday night in a Prospect League game at Veterans Memorial Park.

The Gems (4-6 second half, 23-19 overall) are tied with Normal and Clinton with 4-6 records in the Great River Division. All three teams are ½ game behind first-place Burlington.

Bobby Cavin’s bases-clearing double highlighted a four-run first inning for the Pistol Shrimp against Quincy starter Luc Fladda. Tucker Bougie hit a two-run homer in the third inning for Illinois Valley.

Illinois Valley starter Ty Weatherly retired the first 11 Gems before Lucas Loos and Luke Napleton hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the fourth. 

The Pistol Shrimp added single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings. Quincy scored two more runs in the top of the sixth. Hayden Moore scored on a throwing error after pulling off a double steal with Lucas Loos, and Loos scored on Drew Townsend’s RBI single. Three Pistol Shrimp relievers wrapped up the victory with one inning of hitless relief each.

Fladda took the loss, allowing seven runs in four innings. Daniel Hargrave pitched four innings of relief, allowing one run and two hits in four innings.