The Florence Freedom ended a winless six-game road trip Sunday night with a 5-2 loss to the Rockford Riverhawks at Road Ranger Stadium in Love’s Park, Ill.

The Freedom grabbed the early lead against Rockford left-hander Garrett Bauer when shortstop Tyler Evans scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the third inning. Florence (12-20) tacked another run on to its lead when first baseman Beau Blacken led off the fourth with a long home run to right field, his team-leading seventh of the season to give his team a 2-0 advantage.

Freedom left-hander Alain Quijano (1-1) held Rockford in check through the first six innings, limiting the Riverhawks (15-17) to a run on seven hits. The rookie from Des Moines, Iowa was helped out by four double plays hit into by the Riverhawks. With Florence leading 2-1, Quijano gave up a leadoff double to Will Henderson in the seventh, and Roberto Valiente followed with a bloop single to center. Then on the first pitch, Rockford first baseman Matt Hagen hit Quijano’s first pitch over the wall in left for his third home run of the season, putting the Riverhawks in front for good at 4-2.

Quijano came back out for the eighth and was greeted by a leadoff solo homer to left by Brad Dutton, stretching the hosts’ lead to 5-2. Right-hander Mike Marksbury worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his eighth save of the season and his second in as many nights.

The win completed a three-game series sweep for Rockford. Florence began its road trip with three consecutive defeats at Windy City prior to the series with the Riverhawks.

After a day off tomorrow, the Freedom begin a four-game home stand Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. EDT at Champion Window Field when they open a two-game series with the Washington Wild Things.