ALTON - The Cape Catfish of Cape Girardeau, Mo., scored five times in the top of the 11th inning after the Alton River Dragons had tied the game in the bottom of the ninth to take a 9-4 win in a Prospect League baseball game Tuesday evening at Lloyd Hopkins Field at Gordon Moore Park.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the River Dragons in the club's first-ever extra-inning game.

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Alton took the lead in the bottom of the third with two runs, but Cape tied things up with two runs in the top of the fourth. The River Dragons went back on top 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run by Zach Carden, his second of the season. The Catfish then took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh, only to see the River Dragons tie the game in the bottom of the ninth with a single run. After a scoreless 10th inning, Cape pushed across five runs in the top of the 11th to take their 9-4 win.

Boston Merila led Alton with three hits, while David Harris came up with two hits. Carden's solo shot being his only hit and RBI on the evening and Brady Mutz also had a hit and RBI.

Matthew Reed started on the mound for Alton, giving up twp runs on two hits in four innings of work, walking three and striking out two, giving way to Brandon Hampton of Civic Memorial, who allowed only two hits in two innings, fanning two. Jack McNeil pitched the seventh inning, allowing two runs on two hits while walking one and striking out one, with Bryce Einstein pitching the eighth, allowing only one hit and fanning two. Geoff Withers of Civic Memorial threw in the ninth inning and retired the side in order, then Tyler Bell pitched an inning-and-a-third, giving up three runs without a hit, striking out two and Drew Patterson pitched the last two-thirds of the 11th, allowing two runs on two hits, striking out one.

River Dragons Take Two Over Past Weekend, Scoring Seven Runs In Fourth To Defeat Quincy, Then Rallying To Defeat O'Fallon

ALTON - The Alton River Dragons had a successful weekend as the team heads into the final week-and-a-half of their inaugural season in the Prospect League, scoring seven times in the fourth to help defeat the Quincy Gems 11-5 on Saturday night at Quincy University Stadium, then rallying from a 4-1 deficit to defeat the O'Fallon, Mo., Hoots 5-4 at CarShield Field in O'Fallon on Sunday evening.

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The River Dragons enter their final eight games of the season with a two-game winning string, having won five of their last eight.

On Saturday, the Gems went out to a 4-0 lead after two innings, but Alton struck with seven runs in the fourth to take a 7-4 advantage and added a single run in the fifth to up the lead to 8-4 before Quincy scored a single run in the sixth to cu the lead down to 8-5. Alton scored three times in the eighth to take at 11-5 win, with the game being called after the eighth, due to lightning and severe storms moving into the area.

Brady Mutz led the River Dragons with three hits and an RBI, while Nick Neibauer had two hits, including his a solo homer, his third of the season, and an RBI, with Josh Johnson following suit with two hits and driving home a run, Troy Johnson also had two hits on the night, Thomas Ayers had a three-run homer, his first of the year, for his only hit and RBIs, Bryce Zupan of Civic Memorial had a hit and drove home a pair of runs, David Harris had a hit and RBI, Zach Carden also hit safely and Andrew Nigut had an RBI.

Justin Needles started on the mound, and went five innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out two, then gave way to Jack McNeil, who allowed a run on two hits while walking one and fanning four.

On Sunday, the Hoots went off to a 3-0 lead in the second, only to see Alton counter with a run in the top of the third before O'Fallon scored a single run in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. The River Dragons, tied the game with three runs in the top of the sixth, then scored a single run in the seventh and made it stand up for the 5-4 win.

Boston Merila and Zupan both had two hits and an RBI to lead Alton, while Mutz had a pair of hits, Neibauer, Edwardsville's Blake Burris and Alton's Adam Stilts both had hits and both Josh Johnson and Carden each drove home a run.

Geoff Withers of Civic Memorial was the starting pitcher, going five innings and allowed four runs on five hits, walking four and striking out five, with Bryce Einstein going for three innings, giving up three hits while walking one and fanning two and Tyler Bell threw in the ninth, not allowing a hit or run while striking out two.

Alton is now 25-28 for the season, with seven games remaining. The River Dragons play on the road on Wednesday night at the Terre Haute, Ind., REX at Bob Warn Field At Sycamore Stadium, with a 5:30 p.m., Alton time, first pitch, then visit the Danville Dans Thursday evening at 6:35 p.m. The River Dragons return home on Friday to play the Catfish again, with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch, then play Saturday night at the Quincy Gems at Quincy University Stadium at 6:35 p.m., the play their final home game of the season Sunday evening against the Normal CornBelters in a 5:35 p.m. first pitch. The River Dragons conclude the regular season at home on Aug. 3 at Cape's Capaha Field in a 7:05 p.m. start, then play their season finale at CarShield Field in O'Fallon, Mo. against the O'Fallon Hoots in a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.

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