O’Fallon, MO— Three home runs accounted for all the damage off Chris Clem as the River City Rascals fell 7-2 Saturday night at T.R. Hughes Ballpark to the Rockford RiverHawks.

“It was the kind of night where nothing falls our way,” said right fielder Phil Laurent. “The two-run shot that came my way I was about a foot and a half from. The balls just kept dropping.”

This was the first time the RiverHawks defeated the Rascals at T.R. Hughes this season.

A home run in the first inning gave Rockford an early 2-0 lead, but Clem and the Rascals were able to hold the RiverHawks there until the seventh.

Meanwhile Luke Barganier drove in the first run for the Rascals in the fourth inning. The inning started off with a Ryan Wherle double, and Brad Hough added pressure with a single up the middle. Barganier hit into a fielder’s choice to plate Wehrle.

River City added another run in the fifth to tie the game at two. With one out, and two men on, Greg Stone successfully executed a sacrifice bunt to allow Andrew Sweet to score from third.

Clem did not last through the seventh inning as the first three RiverHawks reached with two of the hits being home runs to put Rockford on top 5-2. Ryan Ashner came in to pitch and retired the first three RiverHawks he faced to end the inning.

The Rascals would try one last comeback in the seventh with hit back-to-back singles to put runner at the corners. But with nobody out the Rascals went down without scoring a run, and the home team never threatened again.

Rockford added a run each in the last two innings to give them their seven.

Mike McTamney (2-1) picked up the win for Rockford in his first start against the Rascals. He pitched eight innings allowing two runs and striking out eight batters. Clem (6-7) took his seventh loss of the season allowing five runs, eight hits, and striking out four batters over six innings. Jonathan Miller and Ashner each allowed a run in their combined three innings.

The River City Rascals (38-42) and the Rockford RiverHawks (40-40) will complete their series on Sunday Night at 6:05 p.m. This Sunday the Siteman Cancer Center and other local businesses are sponsoring the US Cellular Family day to honor the survivors of cancer and to further the fight against the disease. The first 1,000 fans through the gates at T.R. Hughes Ballpark receive a team photo compliments of Pepsi. Sundays are also still Purina/Schnucks Dog Days. Fans are invited to bring their dogs to the park as well as get autographs from the Rascals players following the game. Tickets are available by calling (636) 240-BATS or www.rivercityrascals.com.