Quad Cities ends regular season series with playoff opponent by scoring its most runs in two months

DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 20, 2015) - Every player in the starting lineup contributed to the Quad Cities River Bandits' 17 hits, led by three each from shortstop Alex Bregman and first baseman Ryan Bottger, while designated hitter Drew Ferguson posted a career-high four RBIs in a 14-5 rout of the Cedar Rapids Kernels in front of 2,456 at Modern Woodmen Park Monday afternoon.

The River Bandits (15-10 second half, 60-33 overall) posted the highest single-game run total by any opponent of Cedar Rapids this season and scored 14 runs for the first time since a 14-10 win at Clinton May 18. Quad Cities also scored double-digit runs for the first time in 47 games since May 27, when the club won, 13-4, at home over Kane County. Monday's win also kept Quad Cities perfect in three series rubber matches with Cedar Rapids (13-12, 54-41). The River Bandits won all four series with the Kernels and finished 9-4 in their regular season meetings. The two teams will play each other next in the best-of-three first round of the Midwest League playoffs beginning Sept. 9.

River Bandits right-hander Elieser Hernandez made his first Midwest League start Monday and retired the first eight batters. He allowed two hits and one walk with six strikeouts in the first four innings. Right-hander Eric Peterson (5-4) began the fifth inning with an 11-0 lead and allowed four runs - two earned - on four hits and one walk with one strikeout in 2 2/3 innings. Right-hander Jorge Perez pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, striking out four batters, walking one and allowing a ninth-inning home run by Kernels center fielder Tanner English.

After the game was scoreless into the bottom of the third inning, Quad Cities reached the scoreboard in four straight innings from the third to the sixth innings. River Bandits center fielder Bobby Boyd began the five-run, 11-batter third inning with a leadoff single against Kernels right-hander Keaton Steele (2-3). Left fielder Jason Martin and Bregman drew consecutive walks, before All-Star third baseman Nick Tanielu grounded a two-run single down the first-base line. With runners at first and third bases, right fielder Ramon Laureano grounded into a fielder's choice, but second baseman Rafael Valera overthrew first base, so Bregman scored and Laureano went to second base. A passed ball moved Laureano to third base before Ferguson walked, ending Steele's outing. Against All-Star right-hander Jared Wilson, Ferguson stole second base, and catcher Garrett Stubbs brought in Laureano with a sacrifice fly to center field. Bottger hit a two-out RBI single over shortstop Sean Miller to make it 5-0. In the game's longest inning, the River Bandits had three hits and five of their six total walks. All five runs were earned against Steele, who allowed five hits and three walks with one strikeout in 2 1/3 innings.

In the fourth inning against Wilson, Bregman led off with an infield single to the shortstop hole and reached third base on Laureano's one-out single to left field. Laureano stole second base, giving Ferguson the opportunity to drive in his first two runs with a single into center field for a 7-0 lead. Wilson was charged with two earned runs on four hits with two walks and one strikeout in 1 2/3 innings.

In the fifth inning, Kernels left-hander Michael Theofanopoulous allowed Boyd's one-out single to left field, followed by Martin's double to left-center field and Bregman's RBI infield single off third baseman Pat Kelly for an 8-0 score. With two outs, Laureano placed an RBI single to left-center field, and Ferguson hit a two-run double down the left-field line to extend the lead to 11-0.

After the Kernels' first run came in the sixth inning, Bottger led off the bottom of the inning with the first home run of the season allowed by Kernels All-Star left-hander Cam Booser. A three-run Kernels seventh inning made it 12-4, but Kernels All-Star right-hander Randy LeBlanc walked Stubbs to begin the eighth inning that included two Kernels errors leading to Quad Cities' final two runs.

The River Bandits play their next nine games in 10 days on the road - the longest remaining road stretch for the club this season. Quad Cities begins a three-game series in Kane County at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. River Bandits right-hander Joshua James (2-1) is scheduled to face Cougars right-hander Chris Oliver (2-0) in the first second-half meeting between the teams with the league's two best overall records.

FERRELL'S 7 NO-HIT INNINGS PUSH BANDITS PAST BEES

After the season's longest outing by River Bandits starter, Angel Heredia stems Burlington's late rally in 3-2 win

DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 12, 2015) - River Bandits starter Justin Ferrell carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, striking out five and walking four, and the Quad Cities offense racked up double-digit hits for the third straight game in the series, as the Quad Cities River Bandits beat the Burlington Bees, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport.

Ferrell's career-best start of 7 1/3 innings was the longest by a River Bandit since Michael Feliz went eight innings last Aug. 5 aginst Burlington. The no-hitter to start the eighth inning Sunday was the deepest Quad Cities had carried a no-hitter since April 30, 2011, when Anthony Ferrara pitched seven no-hit innings against Cedar Rapids, before Boone Whiting allowed a one-out hit in the eighth inning of a 2-0, one-hit win.

Burlington right fielder Natanael Delgado ended the no-hitter with a double down the third-base line after Ferrell (2-2) began the eighth inning with a leadoff walk to catcher Wade Wass. With runners at second and third bases, Ferrell allowed a sharply hit single to left field by the next batter, first baseman Steven Mateo, to score the Bees' first run. Center fielder Michael Hermosillo then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, cutting the Quad Cities lead to 3-2. Ferrell was charged with two earned runs on two hits and four walks with four strikeouts.

Right-hander Angel Heredia entered with the tying run at first base and one out in the eighth inning. Burlington shortstop Jake Yacinich and second baseman Erick Salcedo reached on consecutive singles to load the bases with one out, but Heredia shut the door, striking out third baseman Nick Flair and getting left fielder Trever Allen to pop out to second base to curb the rally and keep the Bandits ahead, 3-2. Heredia then retired the side in order in the ninth to preserve the win for Ferrell and notch his fourth save of the season.

Quad Cities (11-7 second half, 56-30 overall) scored in the first inning for the third consecutive game on an RBI groundout by catcher Jamie Ritchie to score center fielder Bobby Boyd. Boyd had reached on a base hit to start the inning and advanced all the way to third on an errant pickoff attempt by Burlington starter Keynan Middleton (4-6). Sean McMullen's solo home run in the second inning - his fifth of the year - extended the lead to 2-0. The lead became 3-0 in the seventh inning, after second baseman Kristian Trompiz doubled to left-center field to plate first baseman Ryan Bottger, who drew a leadoff walk to start the inning.

Burlington (6-12, 41-46) almost began the game with a hit, as shortstop Jake Yacinich lined a ball into right-center field that was caught by right fielder Ramon Laureano on a head-first dive. Third baseman Nick Tanielu also kept a hit off the board in the sixth inning, when he barehanded a ball bunted up the third-base line by Bees second baseman Erick Salcedo.

The four-game series between Burlington and the River Bandits wraps up Monday at 7 p.m., as right-handers Justin Anderson (5-6, 3.10) of Burlington and David Paulino (1-1, 1.80) of Quad Cities square off on the mound.

UP NEXT: Gates open at 6 p.m. for the ADA 25th Anniversary Celebration, which will include a pregame parade of ADA athletes. The 7 p.m. game is Military Monday presented by Performance Food Group, 97X and ESPN 93.5. All veterans and active military can show their military ID at the box office to purchase $1 bleacher tickets for themselves and up to three guests. Individual tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office and online at riverbandits.com. Ticket plans of 12 to 70 games - which include free parking, reserved seats, merchandise discounts, and guaranteed giveaways - are available by calling 563-324-3000.

BEES USE LATE UNEARNED RUNS TO BEAT BANDITS

Eight River Bandits collect hits, but Quad Cities matches a season high by committing four errors

DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 11, 2015) - Every player in the starting lineup had a hit for the Burlington Bees, who used a five-run second inning and three unearned runs over the seventh and eighth innings to break a 5-5 tie and defeat the Quad Cities River Bandits, 8-5, in front of 3,216 at Modern Woodmen Park Saturday night.

With a chance to move their overall record 27 games above .500 for the first time in five seasons, the River Bandits (10-7 second half, 55-30 overall) scored in each of the first three innings and had eight players contribute to outhitting Burlington, 13-11, but the home team also committed four errors, matching a season high set April 28 against Cedar Rapids.

In each of the first two games of the four-game series, the team scoring first has lost. Quad Cities took the lead in the first inning Saturday against Bees right-hander Austin Robichaux. A leadoff walk by center fielder Bobby Boyd and single to left field by shortstop Alex Bregman put runners at first and third bases. Bregman stole second base, before first baseman Nick Tanielu lifted an RBI double toward the right-field corner. Boyd scored, and Bregman went to third base, with right fielder Ramon Laureano grounding out to score Bregman. Robichaux went only one scheduled inning, allowing two earned runs on two hits and one walk with no strikeouts.

River Bandits right-hander Brandon McNitt took a 2-0 lead to the mound in the second inning, when the Bees began with six straight hits. Third baseman Zach Houchins doubled down the left-field line, before catcher Wade Wass and first baseman Steven Mateo homered to the Modern Woodmen Berm in left field on consecutive pitches to give Burlington a 3-2 lead. Left fielder Erick Salcedo then put a bunt single down the third-base line and went to third base when center fielder Michael Hermosillo doubled to right-center field. Second baseman Tim Arakawa capped the six-hit streak with a two-run single to right field, giving his team a 5-2 lead. After a double play, designated hitter Nick Flair single to right field for the inning's seventh hit - a single-inning high against Quad Cities this season.

The River Bandits answered in the bottom of the inning against Bees right-hander Michael Bolaski (5-6). Third baseman Luis Reynoso drew a two-out walk, followed by consecutive singles from Boyd and Bregman to make it 5-3. In the third inning, Laureano hit an infield single to third base, and left fielder Jason Martin launched his sixth home run of the season over the ribbon board in right field to tie the game. Bolaski scattered four singles over the rest of his five-inning outing, in which he was charged with three earned runs on eight hits.

McNitt held Burlington scoreless for the final four innings of his second straight six-inning start. He was charged with five earned runs on nine hits and one walk with five strikeouts. Left-hander Michael Freeman inherited the 5-5 tie to start the seventh inning. Bees shortstop Jake Yacinich drew a one-out walk, went to second base on a wild pitch and third base on a groundout, before scoring when Bregman dropped a ground ball on the grass in front of second base. In the eighth inning, Mateo walked, and Bregman missed a ground ball by Salcedo that went into left-center field, from where Martin overthrew second base for the play's second error. Mateo scored, and Salcedo reached third base, eventually scoring when Arakawa collected his game-high third RBI on a single to left field off Freeman, his college teammate at Oklahoma State. Freeman was charged with three unearned runs on one hit and two walks with two strikeouts in two innings.

Bees right-hander Jordan Piche allowed Quad Cities to load the bases with two outs in the eighth inning, but right-hander Jacob Kopra got Tanielu to ground into a fielder's choice. Right-hander Eduardo Paredes pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 13th save.

BANDITS BASH 13 HITS, HOLD BEES TO UNEARNED RUN

Quad Cities posts six-run sixth to support Christian Powell's season-high six-inning start

DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 10, 2015) - River Bandits shortstop Alex Bregman had a bases-clearing double as part of a six-run sixth inning, and three Quad Cities pitchers combined to hold Burlington to one run as the Quad Cities River Bandits defeated the Burlington Bees, 9-1, in front of 6,401 at Modern Woodmen Park Friday night.

Quad Cities right-hander Christian Powell (2-0) only allowed an unearned run in a season-high six innings, and the River Bandits scored their most runs in a week to match a season-best mark of 26 games above .500 (55-29 overall, 10-6 second half).

The three runs batted in for Bregman is a career high for the 2015 No. 2 overall pick, who made his professional debut with the River Bandits June 26. With Quad Cities already leading 5-1 in the sixth, Bregman lined a ball down the left-field line to score second baseman Alex Hernandez, left fielder Jason Martin, and catcher Jamie Ritchie, extending the River Bandits' lead to seven runs. Bregman scored on an RBI single by center fielder Ramon Laureano against Burlington reliever Gaither Bumgardner to make the score 9-1.

Burlington (40-45, 5-11) jumped out in front in the first inning on a rally started by a Hernandez fielding error that allowed second baseman Tim Arakawa to reach. After being bunted into scoring position by shortstop Jake Yacinich, Arakawa scored the game's first run on a two-out single by left fielder Trever Allen. Powell buckled down from there, not allowing another runner past second in his six innings, finishing with five hits allowed, no earned runs, and three strikeouts.

The River Bandits answered in the bottom of the first inning against Bees starter Jake Jewell (4-5). Third baseman Nick Tanielu doubled home Ritchie and Bregman, who reached on a single and a hit-by-pitch, respectively. The two-run, two-bagger by Tanielu - his 15th of the year - was enough for Quad Cities, which got shutout relief pitching from Riley Ferrell and Ryan Thompson, who combined to allow just one hit in the final three innings of the game.

Quad Cities added a fifth-inning run when left fielder Jason Martin had his first of two singles and stole second and third bases on the next two pitches to Ritchie, before scoring on Ritchie's single to right-center field for a 3-1 lead.

The sixth-inning rally for the River Bandits began against reliever Jason Hoppe with a single by designated hitter Trent Woodward, who had two hits on the night. Right fielder Sean McMullen followed with a hit of his own, and with first baseman Ryan Bottger batting, both runners advanced on a passed ball by Bees catcher Brandon Gildea. On a wild pitch later in the at-bat, Woodward scored and McMullen moved to third base. Bottger flied out to right field, just deep enough for McMullen to tag and slide in safely at the plate in front of the throw by right fielder Natanel Delgado. Hitting with the bases empty and one out, Hernandez and Martin each singled, and Ritchie walked, knocking Hoppe out of the game, and setting up the bases-loaded matchup between Bregman and Bumgardner.

BANDITS FINISH MARTES' STRONG START IN CLINTON

Quad Cities draws a season-high 11 bases on balls to remain unbeaten in road series this season

CLINTON, Iowa (July 9, 2015) - Quad Cities River Bandits right-hander Francis Martes retired the first 13 batters of the game but nearly lost a three-run lead, before two late-inning double plays and a ninth-inning, three-run home run by left fielder Sean McMullen sealed the visitors' 6-2 win over the Clinton LumberKings at Ashford University Field Thursday night.

In their final regular season game in Clinton, the River Bandits (9-6 second half, 54-29 overall) split the four-game, split-city series with the LumberKings (5-10, 31-53) and split two games at Ashford University Field to remain unbeaten in road series this season.

After scoring four runs over the first three games of the series, Quad Cities scored twice in the first inning off LumberKings All-Star right-hander Lukas Schiraldi (4-6). Center fielder Bobby Boyd hit a leadoff single to left field and stole second base with All-Star catcher Jamie Ritchie batting. Ritchie ended a seven-pitch at-bat by lining a single to right field to score Boyd with the River Bandits' first run in their last 14 opening innings. Shortstop Alex Bregman lined to first baseman Pat Leyland, who doubled Ritchie off first base to clear the bases with two outs. All-Star third baseman Nick Tanielu restarted the rally with a single to right field, and right fielder Ramon Laureano walked, before designated hitter Jason Martin grounded an RBI single into center field for a 2-0 lead.

In the third inning, Tanielu and Laureano hit back-to-back one-out singles to start another rally. Martin flied out to center field for the second out, but Schiraldi walked McMullen to load the bases before throwing a wild pitch to score Tanielu for a 3-0 lead. Schiraldi was removed after three innings, in which he allowed three earned runs on six hits and four walks with one strikeout.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, Martes (3-2) finally allowed his first baserunner, as LumberKings designated hitter Chantz Mack drove a double to the left-center field wall. Martes then struck out third baseman Joe DeCarlo to extend his scoreless streak to 16 1/3 innings, before right fielder Taylor Zeutenhorst broke the string by grounding an RBI double down the first-base line to make it 3-1.

Martes retired the next five batters before Leyland singled to right field with one out in the seventh inning. Mack then singled through a shifted infield to the right of second base, and Martes threw a wild pitch to move Leyland and Mack into scoring position. After hitting DeCarlo with a pitch to load the bases, Martes exited for right-hander Angel Heredia. Zeutenhorst greeted Heredia by ending the reliever's nine-inning hitless streak with a single to left-center field to score Leyland and make it 3-2. With one out and the bases loaded, catcher James Alfonso hit a soft line drive to Bregman, who threw to second baseman Kristian Trompiz to double off DeCarlo and end the inning.

Heredia allowed a leadoff walk in the eighth inning, before getting center fielder Austin Cousino to ground to Bregman for a double play, which began a stretch in which he retired the final five batters of the game for his third save in three opportunities this season.

After Schiraldi, LumberKings right-hander Thyago Vieira worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings, and right-hander Hawtin Buchanan followed with 2 2/3 scoreless innings. In the ninth inning with a 3-2 deficit, Clinton put Zeutenhorst on the mound, replacing him in right field with All-Star Estarlyn Morales. Zeutenhorst began by walking Laureano and Martin, before McMullen hit a 1-1 pitch to the Lumber Lounge in right field for his fourth home run of the season and a 6-2 lead. Zeutenhorst, who drove in both Clinton runs earlier in the game, retired the next three batters to finish one inning. The River Bandits drew two walks off Zeutenhorst and had a season-high 11 walks Thursday.

The River Bandits open their final scheduled four-game series of the season Friday at 7 p.m. against Burlington at Modern Woodmen Park. River Bandits right-hander Christian Powell (1-0) is scheduled to face Bees right-hander Jake Jewell (4-4).