Quad Cities musters just two hits in 6-3 loss

BURLINGTON, Iowa (June 4, 2014) - Burlington's Victor Alcantara held Quad Cities hitless through the first five innings, setting the tone for a dominant pitching performance that helped the Bees beat the River Bandits 6-3 at Community Field.

Alcantara's no-hit bid ended on a Tanner Mathis single with one on and nobody out in the sixth. With Burlington ahead 5-0, the right-hander walked Austin Elkins to load the bases. Alcantara got James Ramsay to strike out before walking Chan-Jong Moon as the River Bandits finally got on the scoreboard. The next batter, Brett Phillips, lined a two-run single to right to get Quad Cities within 5-3. With runners on the corners and one out, Burlington brought in right-hander Ben Carlson, who got Jon Kemmer to loft a flyball to left field. Burlington outfielder Mike Fish made the catch, and then unleashed a rocket to nab Moon, who had tried to tag up from third, at home to retire the side.

Quad Cities would not have a baserunner for the rest of the night. Burlington pitchers retired the last 10 Bandits to come to the plate.

Alcantara (3-3) ended up working 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on two hits with six strikeouts and four walks for the win.

The Bees were able to break a scoreless tie in the third. Quad Cities starter Jandel Gustave retired the first two men of the inning before yielding a double to Kody Eaves. Chad Hinshaw singled to left to bring in Eaves for the game's first run. Hinshaw then advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single for Fish to make it 2-0.

Gustave struck out Eaves to lead off the fifth, but then plunked Hinshaw with a fastball to put a man on first. After fanning Fish, Gustave's 3-2 pitch to Eric Aguilera was smoked over the wall in left-center for a two-run home run and Burlington doubled their lead to 4-0. The Bees would score another run on an RBI double later in the inning by Angel Rosa, who went 4-for-4 with two stolen bases. Burlington would steal six bases against the River Bandits throughout the game, a season high against Quad Cities.

After being named the River Bandits Pitcher of the Month for May, Gustave (5-3) struggled in his first June outing, yielding five runs on eight hits with a walk and three strikeouts in five frames. Patrick Christensen threw a season-high three innings out of the bullpen, allowing a run on four hits. He punched out three and walked two.

Brian Loconsole worked a perfect eighth and ninth with three punchouts for his first save of the season as Burlington hopped above .500 to 29-28. The River Bandits fell for the second consecutive game. Their record now stands at 30-28.

The two teams will resume their series tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. Michael Feliz (1-1, 3.52 ERA) will start against Burlington's Harrison Cooney (4-3, 2.05).

The Second Sunday Summer Concert Series is getting underway.

Tlime: 6pm. Rain or shine

Place: Pearl Plaza Patio, 208 West 2nd Street, downtown Muscatine.

www.muscatineartscouncil.org

Facebook: Muscatine County Arts Council

Music Coordinator: Duffy De France 563-607-3213 Donations welcome

Free Family entertainment some seating available, or bring your own lawn chair

June 8: The Fry Daddies "not your ordinary lounge lizards"

July 13 - Crusin' with Max Collins and the band Classic Rock (member of the Iowa Rock  'n Roll Hall of Fame maxallancollins.com/music\

Aug 10 Cedar River Gentry (music between the World Wars) featuring Ron Hillis, musical member of the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre Company (based in West Liberty)

Sept 14 The Creepin' Charlies Americana music

Wilton members on the Arts Council Board: Diana Gradert and Duffy De France (who is also member of the West Liberty Area Arts Council)

Wilton businesses who are supporting the concert series: Oak Tree Homes and ITP Intergrated Technology Partners

The tour begins at Schneid's at 205 Washington Ave. in Lowden at  12:15pm

The tour continues when Congressman Loebsack visits the Camanche Fire Department and meets with volunteer firefighters and highlights the recent USDA Rural Development grant award that was used to purchase defibrillators and cardiovascular equipment. This will take place at the Camanche Fire  Department at 720 9th Avenue in Camanche at  3:00pm.

The tour finishes up when Congressman Loebsack speaks at Clinton Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Dinnereaks at the Clinton Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Dinner.  This will be held at   Rastrelli's Restaurant, 238 Main Avenue in Clinton at  5:30pm.

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River Bandits field staff will lead Western Division All-Stars in West Michigan June 17

DAVENPORT, Iowa. (June 4, 2014) - Quad Cities River Bandits outfielder Brett Phillips has selected to start the 2014 Midwest League All-Star Game, and infielder Chan-Jong Moon and right-hander Tyler Brunnemann were named reserves for the Western Division in the June 17 game hosted by the West Michigan Whitecaps in Comstock Park, Mich. The entire River Bandits field staff will lead the Western Division team, which was announced Wednesday by the Midwest League.

Phillips, 20, was the youngest position player selected for the Western Division roster. A sixth-round pick by the Houston Astros in the 2012 First-Year Players Draft out of Seminole (Fla.) High School, Phillips is third in the Astros organization and 10th in the Midwest League with a .308 batting average. He is tied for second in the league with seven triples and leads the River Bandits in runs (37), hits (60), and total bases (93). Since April 18, he has hit his first three career home runs. Phillips has 17 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI games, including a career-high four on May 23 against Cedar Rapids. Phillips was ranked as the Astros' No. 30 prospect before the season by Baseball America, has put together a .372 on-base percentage (OBP) and .477 slugging percentage for a .849 on-base-plus-slugging (OPS).

Moon, 23, was signed by the Houston Astros on Aug. 9, 2009, becoming the second player from the Pacific Rim to ever sign with the club. He was selected to the New York-Penn League All-Star Game in 2013. In a team-high 54 games this season, the Seoul, South Korea, native is 10th in the Astros minor league system with a .297 batting average. He is tied for second in the Midwest League with seven triples and tied for third with 23 stolen bases. Moon also has six doubles, a home run and 19 RBIs. His 24 walks are the second-highest of any current Bandit, helping him to a .376 OBP. He is also slugging .422 for a .798 OPS.

Brunnemann, 22, became just the second player ever drafted from Hardin-Simmons University (Texas) when he was taken by Houston in the 40th round of the June 2013 draft. The Garden Ridge, Texas, native is 0-1 with a 1.73 ERA, the best of anyone that has pitched at least 25 innings for Quad Cities. He had a team-best 17 1/3-inning scoreless streak from April 3 to May 9. In 26 innings over 14 relief appearances, Brunnemann has allowed just 7.27 baserunners per nine innings, good for second among Midwest League relievers. He has held opponents to a .163 batting average, the fifth-lowest of any relief pitcher in the Midwest League.

The trio will be joined at the All-Star Game by Quad Cities manager Omar Lopez, pitching coach Dave Borkowski, hitting coach Joel Chimelis, athletic trainer Michael Rendon and strength coach James McNichol who comprise the Western Division All-Star field staff. Lopez, Borkowski and Chimelis were on the staff that guided the River Bandits to the 2013 Midwest League Championship.

The West Michigan Whitecaps are hosting the 2014 Midwest League All-Star Game Tuesday, June 17, at Fifth Third Ballpark.

UP NEXT: The River Bandits return to Modern Woodmen Park at 6 p.m. Saturday with a Craig Biggio Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Prairie Farms and FOX18 for the first 1,500 fans. Tickets are available at riverbandits.com. To order any of the River Bandits 2014 ticket plans - with new lower prices - call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: Having just been named Ballpark Digest's winner of Best Ballpark Improvement in America under $1 million, the River Bandits ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 110 feet over the playing field, opened May 24, followed by a new ride called a "Drop and Twist," an expanded 300-foot long zip line, and many other new games and attractions. In 2013, the team unveiled a new 220-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. Last season, the team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The River Bandits were one of three affiliates to reach the championship round and one of two to win their league championship.