Rock Shoulders goes 5-for-6 with two home runs and four RBIs, as Quad Cities loses its first series

GENEVA, Ill. (APRIL 20, 2013) - The Quad Cities River Bandits' run of success at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark ended with a doubleheader sweep at the hands of the Kane County Cougars, who rode a 5-for-6, two-homer performance from Rock Shoulders to 7-3 and 4-3 seven-inning home victories Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars (6-8) grabbed momentum early in Game 1, as they scored five runs in 2 1/3 innings against left-handed starter Brian Holmes (0-1). Shoulders led off the second inning with a double, advanced to third on an infield single by second baseman Wes Darvill, and scored on the first of two sacrifice flies by center fielder Trey Martin.

Kane County had four straight hits against Holmes to start the third, and he was removed with one out and a 4-0 deficit. Right-hander Cameron Lamb allowed Martin's second sacrifice fly, closing the book on Holmes with eight hits, five earned runs, one walk and two strikeouts. Opposite him, right-hander Pierce Johnson (1-0) lasted five innings, allowing three hits and an unearned run while striking out six to defeat the team that beat him on Opening Day.

Down 5-0, Quad Cities (9-5) scored a run on right fielder Ariel Ovando's fourth-inning RBI single, but the Cougars added runs in the fourth and sixth, when Shoulders took right-hander Gerardo Sanchez deep to right field for a 7-1 lead. River Bandits center fielder Teoscar Hernandez's seventh-inning two-run double closed the scoring in a 7-3 final.

In Game 2, Shoulders put the Cougars up 1-0 with a first-inning RBI single against right-hander Jordan Jankowski. After Quad Cities' two-run top of the fourth, Shoulders tied the game with a homer off Jankowski to right leading off the bottom half. Jankowski allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and no strikeouts in three-plus innings. Left-hander Mitchell Lambson (0-1) escaped the fourth inning with a 2-2 tie, but he gave up a go-ahead single by Shoulders in the fifth.

River Bandits first baseman Jesse Wierzbicki hit his second RBI single to tie the game in the sixth inning. But the next half-inning, Cougars shortstop Marco Hernandez hit a go-ahead triple over the head of left fielder Jordan Scott. With a 4-3 lead, left-hander Jeff Antigua worked a scoreless seventh to save a win for right-hander Tayler Scott, who worked six innings, allowed five hits, three runs and a walk while striking out four.

After their first series loss, the River Bandits head to Wisconsin for a three-game set beginning at 5:05 p.m. Sunday. The doubleheader sweep and a win by Cedar Rapids dropped Quad Cities one-half game out of first place in the Midwest League Western Division.

UP NEXT: The River Bandits return to Modern Woodmen Park for a six-game home stand beginning Thursday, April 25, with Manti Te'o Night and a Thirst-Day with $2 drink specials presented by Rock 104-9, the Quad Cities' CW, and the River Cities' Reader. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits began the season with a great start, winning each of their first five games and currently sit in first place in the Midwest League's Western Division. Meanwhile, the team's 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 112 feet over the playing field, is planned for the ballpark, along with a new dual zip line, a carousel, a Mediacom Frog Hopper, new bounce houses and many other fun attractions. The team also boasts a new major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, and fans will see last year's No. 1 overall draft pick, Carlos Correa. The Astros will also make the very first selection in the major league draft on June 6 and could have another top pick end up in the Quad Cities. With new rides, new attractions, new improvements, a new affiliate and future major league stars, this season will be one every fan will not want to miss!

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Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement this evening after the suspect in the Boston bombing was captured.

"I am relieved that the tragic events, which have terrorized Boston and the nation over the past five days, seem to have come to an end this evening.  The work of the first responders, law enforcement officials and the National Guard has been truly heroic. Now that the suspect has been captured, he must face the full force of our judicial system."

Virtual Tours Show Progress of Iowa Farmers

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - April 19, 2013 - Iowans can see how today's farmers are always seeking new ways to protect the land and water, while providing a wide array of food choices for consumers, by taking virtual farm tours.  Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) is launching 'Conservation Counts' (www.iowafarmbureau.com/conservationcounts), an online resource where consumers can see how farmers use conservation practices on their farm and the progress that statewide voluntary measures have brought in the last 30 years.  The Conservation Counts website goes live April 22^nd, the 43^rd observance of national Earth Day.

"Conservation methods are different on every farm because the terrain is different, the soils are different and the crops we grow are diverse.  So when it comes to conservation, forcing a one-size-fits-all approach would be a detriment to the progress we need to make in protecting the land and water," said IFBF President Craig Hill.

"Today's responsible farmers are always looking for new ways to help them not only maintain but improve the integrity of their land and watersheds.  Some farmers plant trees (http://www.supportfarmers.com/Programs/gfpp/case-studies ) through the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmer's Green Farmstead Partner Program; many more farmers plant grassy buffer strips to protect streams; some use no-till methods or cover crops, or terraces to hold nutrients and reduce erosion.  On my farm, I use precision agriculture where I spoon feed plants nutrients/fertilizer at the right time, right place and right amount so they get only what they need which is better for the plant and the environment. And, there are also innovations in seeds and equipment which help today's farmers use less fertilizer," said Hill.  "Progress and new ideas are what it takes to meet our nation's food needs, while protecting the land.  One in six jobs in this state are tied to agriculture.  By 2050, it's estimated the global population will be over 9 billion, which requires 100 percent more food than we're growing today.  The Nutrient Reduction Strategy (http://www.nut\rientstrategy.iastate.edu/ ) shows farmers all the options they can use on their farms to get us there."

Voluntary conservation measures have brought progress.  In the last 30 years, soil erosion in the U.S. has been reduced by 43 percent, according to the USDA's National Resources Inventory report.  Iowa's erosion rate was down 33 percent, thanks to a combination of practices being put in place, such as buffer strips, terraces, no-till, cover crops, restoring wetlands, installing bio-filters and grassy waterways in fields.  Today's responsible farmers continue to search for new ways to protect the land and watershed; seven major conservation practices used on Iowa farms are estimated to remove as much as 28 percent of the nitrate, 38 percent of the total nitrogen, and up to 58 percent of the phosphorus that otherwise would be present, according to the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development's Conservation Practices in Iowa: Historical Investments, Water Quality and Gaps.

"Farming is never a one-year proposition. It's something we do over time and we are continually learning.  It's never static; you always want to be getting as much information as you can, and then putting it to work on your farm," said Ankeny farmer, Mark Kenney, who uses no-till, has restored grasslands on his farm and this year is taking more land out of production to plant new grassy buffer strips to reduce erosion on his Nevada-area farmland.

Learn more about how today's responsible farmers embrace new conservation methods by checking out 'Conservation Counts' at www.iowafarmbureau.com/conservationcounts or follow them on Facebook at IowaFarmBureau or Twitter at (#ConservationCounts13).

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About Iowa Farm Bureau

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation is a grassroots, statewide organization dedicated to helping farm families prosper and improve their quality of life.  More than 153,000 families in Iowa are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve economic growth, educational improvement, and environmental quality in their communities.  For more information about Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit the online media center at www.iowafarmbureau.com.