Heart of order produces to send Gems to third consecutive victory

CLINTON, Iowa — The heart of the Quincy Gems’ order did exactly what it’s expected to do.

Produce runs.

Gems catcher Kyle Hvidsten and third baseman Lucas Loos — hitting third and fourth in the lineup — combined to collect five hits, score five runs and drive in five runs as Quincy won its third straight game with an 8-4 Prospect League victory Thursday night over the Clinton LumberKings.

This was the first of a four-game road trip that continues Friday at the Jackson (Tenn.) Rockabillys. The Gems are in first place in the Great River Division’s second half with a 10-7 record, a half-game ahead of the Burlington Bees.

Hvidsten went 2 for 5 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBIs, while Loos went 3 for 5 with a double, two runs scored and three RBIs. Jaison Andujar and Jack Zebig, hitting fifth and sixth respectively, each drove in a run as well.

The Gems took the lead in the second when Loos scored on Zebig’s groundout. In the third, Hvidsten hit a three-run home run for a lead the Gems never relinquished.

The LumberKings answered with three runs in the bottom of the third, but a RBI single by Loos in the fifth boosted the lead to 5-3 before Hvidsten and Loos both scored on wild pitches later in the inning.

That was enough run support for Cole Parkhill, who allowed three runs on two hits over five innings. He walked four and struck out three. Stefan Stockwell tossed two scoreless innings of relief, while Braden Smith allowed one run but no hits over his two innings of relief.