02 Sep 2015

Recent River Bandits Results

By Marco LaNave
BANDITS CAN'T ERASE EARLY DEFICIT, FALL TO BEES

Five runs in the first two innings were enough for Burlington to take season series finale
BURLINGTON, Iowa (September 1, 2015) - The Burlington Bees offense racked up five runs on five hits in the first two innings, and the Bees bullpen withstood late scoring threats, as the Bees beat the Quad Cities River Bandits, 7-4, Tuesday night at Community Field.
The Bees (23-41 second half, 58-75 overall) pounced on River Bandits starter Elieser Hernandez (2-3) in the very early going, scoring three times in the bottom of the first inning. Center fielder Ayendy Perez and second baseman Tim Arakawa each reached on base hits to start the frame. Catcher Taylor Ward reached on a fielder's choice, advancing Perez to third, with Arakawa forced out at second base for the first out of the inning. Shortstop Zach Houchins singled to left field to drive in Perez and give Burlington a 1-0 lead. With two out, runners on second and third bases and designated hitter Natanael Delgado at the plate, a passed ball by catcher Marlon Avea and a balk by Hernandez each plated a run, giving the Bees a 3-0 lead.
Burlington added to its lead in the second inning, as the first three batters reached base, beginning with a one-out throwing error by shortstop Kristian Trompiz, allowing right fielder Mitchell Esser to reach, and a walk to third baseman Nick Flair. Perez doubled home Esser for the fourth Bees run, advancing Flair to third base. With Arakawa batting, Hernandez threw a wild pitch that plated Flair and made it a 5-0 Burlington lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Esser led off the inning with an infield single to first baseman Wander Franco, advanced to second on a ground out, and made it to third on a wild pickoff attempt by Hernandez. Perez then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Esser and making it 6-0.
Forced to play catch-up against Justin Anderson (9-9), the River Bandits (40-24, 85-47) finally chipped into the lead in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Trompiz tripled to left-center field, and third baseman Luis Reynoso brought him home with a sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring Trompiz for Quad Cities' first run.
After Delgado's fifth-inning solo homer made it a 7-1 game, the River Bandits rallied again in the sixth inning. They loaded the bases with Avea's infield popup-turned-infield-single, a one-out double by left fielder Jason Martin, and a pitch that hit designated hitter Bryan Muñiz. Right fielder Drew Ferguson took a 2-1 Anderson offering and found the gap in right-center field, clearing the bases and cutting the lead in half. However, the rally ended as second baseman Jose Fernandez struck out and Ferguson was thrown out trying to steal third base on the same play, keeping Burlington ahead, 7-4.
Three runs was the closest Quad Cities came against the Bees bullpen. Right-handers Gaither Bumgardner and Jordan Piche escaped jams with the tying run at the plate in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. Piche got the last four outs for his eighth save.
The River Bandits return to Modern Woodmen Park Wednesday night for the start of their final regular season home series, a three-game set with the playoff-bound Kane County Cougars. For the opener, the River Bandits will send right-hander Rogelio Armenteros (1-0, 0.00) to the mound, while the Cougars will counter with left-hander Jared Miller (4-4, 5.92).
UP NEXT: All-you-can-ride passes are $10 each on Wednesday at the River Bandits' 7 p.m. game. Gates open at 6 p.m. on a Pay Your Bill Wednesday, when fans can enter copies of their unpaid bills to a drawing, from which the River Bandits will select and pay two up to $100 each. The River Bandits will have fireworks following 7 p.m. games Thursday and Friday, when the team will also be celebrating back-to-back Fan Appreciation Nights, with $2 drinks and Make-A-Wish Night presented by Olympic Steel on Thursday, and Friday Fireworks presented by Smart Toyota of Quad Cities. 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.

LONG BALL POWERS BANDITS TO 5-2 WIN OVER BURLINGTON

Trompiz and Muñiz hit fourth-inning home runs for Quad Cities, as Deetz extends scoreless streak

BURLINGTON, Iowa (August 31, 2015) - Shortstop Kristian Trompiz and first baseman Bryan Muñiz each homered, and starter Dean Deetz pitched five scoreless innings to extend his streak to 16 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing a run, as the Quad Cities River Bandits bested the Burlington Bees, 5-2, at Community Field Monday night.

Pitching for the first time since throwing seven no-hit innings Aug. 24 at home against Clinton, Deetz (4-1) retired the first seven Bees in order before a one-out double by right fielder Trever Allen in the third inning. Deetz only allowed one other hit on a night where every batter put a ball into play. Burlington (22-41 second half, 57-75 overall) put two runners on base in the fourth inning, as shortstop Zach Houchins reached on a one-out error by Luis Reynoso at second base, and catcher Taylor Ward singled to put runners at first and second bases. But Deetz got left fielder Trevor Gretzky to fly out to left, and first baseman Steven Mateo ended the inning on a ground ball to Wander Franco at third, who forced out Ward with a throw to Reynoso at second to end the inning.

The River Bandits (40-23, 85-46) took advantage of control issues by Burlington starter Keynan Middleton (5-11) in the early going, with both catcher Garrett Stubbs and Trompiz walking to start the second inning. After a sacrifice bunt by Reynoso moved both runners into scoring position, Franco's ground ball to Houchins at shortstop scored Stubbs and put Quad Cities ahead, 1-0. Franco has collected his first two Midwest League RBIs in the first two games of the series.

The lead widened in the fourth, as Trompiz began the inning with his sixth home run of the year - a drive to straight-away left field. Reynoso followed with a walk and advanced to second on a one-out base hit to right fieldby center fielder Bobby Boyd. Left fielder Jason Martin did not advance the runners, as he flied out to center, but Muñiz brought home both runners on his third home run as a River Bandit this season on a booming shot to left to open up a 5-0 Quad Cities lead.

Following Deetz to start the sixth inning, reliever Juan Robles made his Midwest League debut and became the 59th different River Bandit (tying a franchise record) to play in a game this season, Burlington rallied for a pair of runs in the seventh. After walking a pair in the sixth and recording his first Midwest League strikeout, Robles retired the first batter of the seventh inning before walking the bases loaded with one out. Jacob Dorris took over to face center fielder Ayendy Perez and promptly threw a wild pitch, allowing the Bees to score their first run and move the other two runners into scoring position. Burlington scored again when Perez grounded a ball to the right side, scoring the runner from third base and making it a 5-2 game. Dorris got out of the inning by getting second baseman Tim Arakawa to ground out to Muñiz, who fed the ball to Dorris covering the base to end the threat for the Bees.

Dorris allowed one runner in the last two innings of work and struck out three batters to earn his first save with the River Bandits.

OPPORTUNISTIC BANDITS EDGE OUT BURLINGTON

Quad Cities scores runs on a sacrifice fly and wild pitch for 84th win - second-most in franchise history

BURLINGTON, Iowa (August 30, 2015) - Brock Dykxhoorn allowed one run on six hits and struck out three batters in seven innings, and the Quad Cities River Bandits capitalized on their chances offensively, scratching two runs across on four hits to beat the Burlington Bees, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at Community Field.

Dykxhoorn (8-4) tied a career high with seven innings pitched, reaching that mark for the third time this season after accomplishing the feat on July 2 against Peoria and Aug. 9 against Dayton. Dykxhoorn became Quad Cities' first eight-game winner this season.

The scoring began in the second inning against Burlington starter Michael Bolaski (9-11) on a rally that began with River Bandits second baseman Jose Fernandez reaching on an error by Bees third baseman Nick Flair. With first baseman Ryan Bottger batting, Fernandez stole second base and advanced to third on Bottger's infield hit to Flair. Shortstop Luis Reynoso walked to load the bases for third baseman Wander Franco, who flied out to left, deep enough to score Fernandez and give Quad Cities (39-23 second half, 84-46 overall) the 1-0 lead.

The Bees (22-41, 57-75) looked ready to pull even in their half of the second with runners on first and second bases and one out, but Dykxhoorn recovered well, getting right fielder Natanael Delgado to fly out to center field and designated hitter Trever Allen to ground out to third base to end the threat.

Burlington tied the game in the fourth inning on a leadoff single by second baseman Tim Arakawa and RBI double by shortstop Zach Houchins. With the Bees primed take the lead, Dykxhoorn buckled down again, retiring left fielder Trevor Gretzky on a fly ball to right field, striking out first baseman Steven Mateo, and getting Delgado to fly out to center field with the go-ahead run on third base.

After Gretzky's seventh-inning leadoff single and stolen base of second with nobody out, Dykxhoorn finished the inning and the outing strong, striking out Mateo and Delgado, and coaxing a ground ball back to himself on the mound off the bat of Allen.

With Dykxhoorn still the pitcher of record in the top of the eighth inning and Bolaski still in the game, the River Bandits began a two-out rally with the bases empty, as center fielder Bobby Boyd tripled to left-center field. Left fielder Jason Martin and designated hitter Drew Ferguson each walked, knocking Bolaski out of the game in favor of right-handed reliever Jason Hoppe. With right fielder Ramon Laureano at the plate, Hoppe's wild pitch scooted far enough from catcher Taylor Ward to score Boyd and put Quad Cities ahead, 2-1.

The Bees had one last rally in the tank against Quad Cities reliever Zach Davis in the eighth inning. Center fielder Ayendy Perez hit a one-out single, and Arakawa reached on a two-out fielding error by Fernandez. Angel Heredia came in from the bullpen to get out of the jam, and in an eight-pitch at-bat, he got Houchins to ground out to Fernandez to end the inning. Heredia worked a perfect ninth, ending the game by catching Delgado looking for a strikeout to seal the victory, earning his sixth save in 15 days and team-high 12th overall this season.

With the 2-1 win, the River Bandits won their 84th game - the second-most in Quad Cities franchise history behind the 1992 Quad City River Bandits, who won 91 games. Sunday's contest was the ninth one-run game between Quad Cities and Burlington this season, and the sixth straight game decided by the minimum.

PEORIA PITCHING OUTSHINES BANDITS IN SERIES FINALE

Gomber, Chiefs bullpen hold Quad Cities to two runs on three hits in teams' final regular season meeting
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 29, 2015) - Peoria's Midwest League All-Star left-hander Austin Gomber pitched six innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits, and the No. 5 through No. 9 hitters in the Chiefs lineup collected eight of the team's nine hits in a 4-2 win over the Quad Cities River Bandits in front of 5,948 at Modern Woodmen Park Saturday night.
Gomber (15-3) won his seventh consecutive start and beat the River Bandits (38-23 second half, 83-46 overall) for the second time in four starts after losing his first two decisions to Quad Cities (38-23 second half, 83-46 overall) in April.
The Chiefs (38-23, 71-58) aided their starter with a pair of second-inning runs on consecutive one-out hits. Center fielder Harrison Bader singled to right, and catcher Brian O'Keefe hit an RBI double to left field. Designated hitter Steve Bean followed with an RBI single to center field to double Peoria's lead to 2-0.
Quad Cities second baseman Jose Fernandez began the bottom of the second inning by reaching on a throwing error by Gomber. With right fielder Ryan Bottger batting, Fernandez stole second base and advanced to third on Bottger's groundout. However, shortstop Kristian Trompiz struck out swinging, and after third baseman Luis Reynoso walked, first baseman Wander Franco, struck out looking in his first Midwest League at-bat, stranding two runners on base.
The River Bandits put a dent in the lead in the fourth inning, as Fernandez reached on a one-out walk and stole second base with Bottger batting. On the pitch when Bottger struck out, Fernandez stole third base and advanced home on O'Keefe's wild throw that went flying pver third baseman Paul DeJong into left field, making it a 2-1 game.
After the second inning, Quad Cities starter Joshua James (6-4) kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard until the eighth inning, when Derek Gibson had a leadoff bunt single and went to second base on James' errant throw to first base. After James' wild pitch sent Gibson to third base, DeJong's sacrifice fly gave Peoria a 3-1 lead. James pitched a career-high eight innings and tied his career high of seven strikeouts. James became the first River Bandit to go eight full innings in a start since Michael Feliz did so against Burlington Aug. 5, 2014.
Peoria increased its lead in the ninth on a solo home run by Bader off reliever Steve Naemark. The River Bandits were held to just three base runners in the fifth through eighth innings by Gomber and relievers Nick Lomascolo and Nick Frey.
In the ninth inning with a 4-1 lead, Chiefs right-hander Jery Then started by walking Fernandez and Bottger, bringing the tying run to the plate with nobody out. Trompiz reached on a fielder's choice fielded by shortstop Oscar Mercado, who cut down the lead runner Fernandez at third for the first out, and Then struck out Reynoso looking for the second out. Franco, called up Friday from the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Astros, hit a ball up the middle that was knocked down by Then and overthrown by the pitcher to first base, allowing Bottger to score, while sending Trompiz to third and Franco to second. With the tying runs in scoring position, catcher Marlon Avea, who joined the River Bandits Saturday from Short-Season Tri-City and earlier singled in his first Midwest League at-bat,  struck out swinging on three pitches to end the game, earning Then his second save of the year.
ARMENTEROS LEADS BANDITS' LEAGUE-BEST 16TH SHUTOUT

Quad Cities' 83rd win ties 2010 team for second-most in franchise history
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 28, 2015) - Just called up from Short Season Tri-City on Tuesday, Rogelio Armenteros fit in with his new team in his Midwest League debut, throwing five innings of one-hit shutout baseball, striking out a career-high nine batters and walking one as the Quad Cities River Bandits blanked the Peoria Chiefs, 3-0, in front of 6,696 at Modern Woodmen Park Friday night.
Armenteros (1-0) was the 34th pitcher used by the River Bandits (38-22 second half, 83-45 overall) this year, and he became the 20th different starting pitcher this season, both Quad Cities franchise records. In his five innings of work, Armenteros collected at least one strikeout each inning and only allowed baserunners on a single, walk, error, and third-strike wild pitch.
The River Bandits were able to rally against Peoria right-hander Jack Flaherty (8-3) for a run in the second inning. Designated hitter Drew Ferguson led off the inning with a base hit and stole second base with right fielder Ramon Laureano batting. Laureano singled to right, moving Ferguson to third, and stole second base with second baseman Jose Fernandez at bat. Fernandez hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Ferguson and give Quad Cities a 1-0 lead.
Peoria (37-23, 70-58) had its best opportunity of the night in the third inning after a leadoff single by catcher Steve Bean. With one out and Bean on first base, second baseman Darren Seferina walked, before shortstop Oscar Mercado flied out to center field. Third baseman Paul DeJong reached on an error by third baseman Luis Reynoso to load the bases for first baseman Alex De Leon, but Armenteros struck out the Chiefs' RBI leader to end the inning and leave the bases full.
In the fourth inning, the River Bandits capitalized on two Peoria errors to add to their lead. With the bases empty and two outs, Fernandez singled, and catcher Trent Woodward reached on catcher interference by Bean - the inning's first error - to put runners on first and second bases with two outs. Shortstop Kristian Trompiz grounded a ball to Mercado, who dropped it, loading the bases. Reynoso cashed in on the pair of errors by depositing the first pitch he saw from Flaherty into right-center field to score Fernandez and Woodward, giving Quad Cities a 3-0 lead. Flaherty went a career-high seven innings, allowing three runs - one earned - on five hits and one walk and six strikeouts.
For the River Bandits, Eric Peterson pitched three shutout innings in relief, allowing two hits in the sixth and one in the eighth, but also striking out a pair of batters. Angel Heredia struck out one batter and allowed a runner on Fernandez's error in the ninth inning before recording his 11th save of the season to preserve the win.
The Midwest League-leading 16th shutout by Quad Cities is the most for the franchise since pitching 17 in 1980.

BANDITS SURGE EARLY, HANG ON TO BEAT PEORIA, 8-6

Quad Cities jumps to 8-1 lead and withstands furious late rally for MiLB-best 82nd win

DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 27, 2015) - First baseman Bryan Muñiz was 2-for-4 with two runs and a two-run home run in his first professional game as a leadoff hitter, and left-hander Zach Davis halted a five-run rally to preserve the lead in the Quad Cities River Bandits' 8-6 win over the Peoria Chiefs, who clinched a playoff spot earlier Thursday night, in front of 4,671 at Modern Woodmen Park.

Davis entered in the eighth inning after Peoria (37-22 second half, 70-57 overall) rallied to close an 8-1 gap to an 8-5 deficit. With two runners on base, Davis allowed one more run to score before getting a ground ball to end the inning and keep the River Bandits (37-22, 82-45) ahead, 8-6. In the ninth inning, the left-handed reliever allowed a one-out single and a two-out walk to put the tying run at first base before a game-ending popout earned Davis his first save since Aug. 15, 2014, with the rookie-level Greeneville Astros.

The River Bandits trailed in the first inning, after a two-out double by third baseman Paul DeJong and RBI single by first baseman Alex De Leon. With a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning, Chiefs left-hander Dewin Perez (2-6) allowed consecutive one-out singles to third baseman Luis Reynoso and Muñiz, who both advanced on a passed ball by catcher Luis Cruz. Center fielder Jason Martin grounded out to first, scoring Reynoso and tying the game, 1-1. Designated hitter Ramon Laureano followed with a double to right-center field that one-hopped over the fence, bringing Muñiz across home plate and giving Quad Cities a 2-1 lead.

In the fourth inning, the River Bandits took advantage of three Chiefs errors, starting with shortstop Oscar Mercado's fielding error on a leadoff ground ball by catcher Trent Woodward. Second baseman Jose Fernandez bunted, and Cruz threw it past Mercado at second base into center field. As Woodward advanced to third base, center fielder Harrison Bader fired a throw toward third base that skipped past DeJong, allowing Fernandez to advance to second base. Quad Cities capitalized with an RBI single by shortstop Kristian Trompiz, plating Woodward, before right fielder Ryan Bottger's sacrifice fly to right field, driving in Fernandez and making it 4-1. Reynoso popped out before Muñiz capped the rally with a two-out, two-run homer to left-center field - his second as a River Bandit and fourth of the season.

The largest lead came with two more runs in the sixth inning. Bottger and Reynoso drew consecutive walks from reliever Steve Sabatino. Muñiz flied out, and Martin struck out, before Laureano drew a walk to load the bases. Sabatino was lifted for left-hander Sasha Kuebel, and left fielder Drew Ferguson bounced a ball over the mound and into center field for two-run single and 8-1 Quad Cities lead.

After the first-inning Chiefs run, River Bandits pitchers kept Peoria off the board for six straight innings, including two scoreless innings by starter Thomas Eshelman, right-hander Jacob Dorris (1-0) in his Midwest League debut, and Elieser Hernandez, who began the sixth inning, and pitched a pair of scoreless innings himself, before getting into trouble in the eighth. With two runners on base and two outs, back-to-back singles by designated hitter Brian O'Keefe and Cruz made it 8-3. Two batters later, second baseman Darren Seferina doubled to right field to score two more runs, forcing Hernandez out after 2 2/3 innings and bringing Davis into the game.

The 82nd win for the River Bandits gives them the third-highest win total in Quad Cities franchise history, trailing only the 1992 Quad City River Bandits, who won 91 games, and the 2010 Quad Cities River Bandits, who won 83. Despite the loss, Peoria clinched a playoff spot by virtue of Beloit's loss to Wisconsin, sending the Chiefs to the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

01 Sep 2015

BANDITS ANNOUNCE 2016 SCHEDULE AND HOME GAME TIMES

By Marco LaNave
Home opener is Saturday, April 9, and the annual Bandits Race to Home 5K is Saturday, April 23
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 27, 2015) - The Quad Cities River Bandits on Thursday announced their 140-game schedule and home game times for the 2016 Midwest League season, including the six-time Midwest League Champions' home opener on Saturday, April 9, against the Cedar Rapids Kernels to begin a schedule of 70 home games at Modern Woodmen Park.
After playing their first two games of the 2016 season in Cedar Rapids Thursday, April 7, and Friday, April 8, the River Bandits will return to Modern Woodmen Park to host Cedar Rapids for two games Saturday, April 9, and Sunday, April 10, with both starting at 1:15 p.m. That will mark the first of 13 weekends the Midwest League club will have a home game at the ballpark voted the Best Minor League Ballpark in a nationwide vote at 10Best.com and USA TODAY.
The River Bandits' first two Saturday home games, April 9 and April 16, will each start at 1:15 p.m. The following Saturday, April 23, will be the annual Bandits Race to Home 5K and Kids Fun Run to benefit the Bandit Scholars Program. The race will begin at 9 a.m., and the Kids Fun Run will begin at 10 a.m. Registration is available at getmeregistered.com/bandits.
The River Bandits will have a home game on the Fourth of July - a 6 p.m. game against Beloit Monday, July 4 - and home games on three holiday weekends in 2016. On Memorial Day Weekend, Quad Cities will host Peoria for a four-game series Friday, May 27, through Memorial Day Monday, May 30. The River Bandits play a four-game Father's Day Weekend home series with Cedar Rapids Thursday, June 16, through Sunday, June 19. The River Bandits will play their regular season home finale against Kane County at the start of Labor Day Weekend on Friday, Sept. 2.
In their 2016 schedule, the River Bandits have three different homestands of seven games or more, including a season-long nine-game, 10-day homestand Wednesday, July 20, through Friday, July 29. The team's longest road stretch is eight consecutive games Thursday, Aug. 11, through Thursday, Aug. 18.
During the 2016 season, weekday (Monday through Friday) home games will normally begin at 7 p.m. Three 11 a.m. weekday games will be Wednesday, April 27, Monday, May 9, and Tuesday, May 17 - when the River Bandits host schools participating in the Book Buddies reading program. The Memorial Day game will begin at 5:15 p.m. on Monday, May 30. The Monday, July 4, game will be at 6 p.m., and the Monday, July 25, game will start at 1 p.m. All other weekday games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Modern Woodmen Park.
After the first two Saturdays - April 9 and April 16 - have 1:15 p.m. home games, all following Saturday home games will again begin at 6:00 p.m. during the 2016 season. Sunday home games will be at 1:15 p.m., with the exceptions of 5:15 p.m. games on three Sundays - June 5, July 10 and July 24. On game days at Modern Woodmen Park, gates will open 60 minutes before each scheduled start time.
Quad Cities will host four Eastern Division opponents in 2016. The River Bandits will host the South Bend Cubs (April 26-28), West Michigan Whitecaps (April 29-May 1), Dayton Dragons (July 20-22) and Bowling Green Hot Rods (July 23-25). Every Western Division team will play at least seven games at Modern Woodmen Park in 2016.
The 2016 Midwest League All-Star Game will be in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The regular season concludes Monday, Sept. 5. The Midwest League playoffs are scheduled to begin Wednesday, Sept. 7. A full schedule of home and road games for 2016 is at www.riverbandits.com.
01 Sep 2015

BANDITS' SPECIAL JERSEYS AMONG THE BEST IN MILB

By Marco LaNave
Quad Cities is one of only two teams with two jerseys voted in the top 13 of MiLB.com's Jersey Joust
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 27, 2015) - The Quad Cities River Bandits were one of only two teams across Minor League Baseball to have two specialty jerseys voted among the top 13 among 124 specialty jerseys in MiLB.com's Jersey Joust, whose results were announced on Wednesday. The River Bandits' 2014 Autism Awareness jersey received the third-most votes overall and was the top-voted jersey from any of the 30 Class-A clubs, while the River Bandits' 2015 Boy Scouts Jersey finished 13th in the voting.
On each night the River Bandits wore the specialty jerseys, proceeds from an auction at Modern Woodmen Park went to benefit Quad Cities-area charities. Proceeds from the Autism Awareness photo jersey auction supported the Quad Cities Autism Center, and proceeds from the Boy Scouts jerseys went to benefit the Boy Scouts of America ILLOWA Council.
"The Autism Awareness Jersey and Boy Scouts Jersey have already made a difference to people in the Quad Cities, thanks to our partnerships with the Quad Cities Autism Center and the Boy Scouts of America," said River Bandits owner Dave Heller. "We are grateful to our fans who have made our charitable jersey auctions such a huge success, and to the fans across the country who have recognized their value both as unique entertainment and a great way to help people here in the Quad Cities."
The River Bandits wore Autism Awareness photo jerseys Aug. 8, 2014, for the team's third annual photo jersey auction and fifth annual Autism Awareness Night at Modern Woodmen Park. The River Bandits' 2013 edition of the Autism Awareness photo jerseys and auction received a Golden Bobblehead Award for the Best Charity Promotion or Event in Minor League Baseball. This season, the River Bandits wore special caps for an in-game auction benefiting the Quad Cities Autism Center on Autism Awareness Night Aug. 7. On June 19 this season, the River Bandits wore their first-ever Boy Scouts-themed jerseys for Boy Scouts Night, with an auction of the jerseys benefiting the Boys Scouts of America ILLOWA Council.
"It is exciting to know that fans across the country see our specialty jerseys as memorable promotions and charitable activities, and it is even more rewarding to know how each night has raised awareness and benefited the Quad Cities community," said River Bandits General Manager Andrew Chesser. "We look forward to bringing more creative ideas to life at Modern Woodmen Park, and continuing to give our fans unique opportunities to support their neighbors in the Quad Cities."
Coming the week after the Sports Business Journal named the Quad Cities area the Best Minor League Market, Tuesday's announcement adds to several recent awards for the River Bandits and Modern Woodmen Park. This year, the team's name was voted one of the top eight in Minor League Baseball in a Sporting News contest. In May, the team's logo was voted among the top eight - and best in the Midwest League - in Baseball America's Logo Mania, and Modern Woodmen Park's R.I.A. Federal Credit Union Hon. Lane Evans Patriot Seats were voted the No. 2 Best Seats at any minor league ballpark in the country - and the top view of any ballpark at the Class-A and short season level - by fans on MiLB.com. In June, fans voted Modern Woodmen Park the "Best of the Ballparks" in a Ballpark Digest contest featuring all 30 Class-A ballparks. Recently, the team's was cap voted among the top three in Minor League Baseball - and best of any Class-A club. The club has been nominated for another Golden Bobblehead award this season.
28 Aug 2015

BONIFAY NAMED MWL MANAGER OF THE YEAR; TWO BANDITS ARE MWL ALL-STARS

By Marco LaNave
A Quad Cities manager wins league's annual award for the first time since 1990
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 24, 2015) - For the first time as a Houston Astros affiliate, the Quad Cities River Bandits have two Midwest League Postseason All-Stars, and for the first time in 25 years, a Quad Cities manager is the Midwest League Manager of the Year. Selected by the league's 16 field managers and announced on Monday, the team includes catcher Jacob Nottingham and third baseman Nick Tanielu - both Western Division starters in the All-Star Game in June - and first-year manager Josh Bonifay.
While the River Bandits have two postseason All-Stars for the first time since 2012 and postseason All-Stars in four consecutive seasons for the first time since 2002, the club has its first Manager of the Year since 1990. Bonifay becomes the third manager in Quad Cities franchise history to win the league's annual award. Previous Quad Cities winners (both winning in their only seasons as Quad Cities managers) were George Enright of the 1982 Quad City Cubs and Don Long, who led the 1990 Quad City Angels to the league title.
Two years after winning Appalachian League Manager of the Year in his first season as a professional manager with the rookie-level Greeneville Astros, Bonifay has led the River Bandits to their fourth playoff berth in six seasons and their best first half in franchise history (45-23) to win the Midwest Western Division first half this season. While using a franchise-record 32 pitchers this season, Quad Cities has the best record of any team in Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball at 35 games above .500 (79-44) through Sunday.
Nottingham, 20, played 59 games (39 as a catcher) with Quad Cities through June 27 before being promoted to Class-A Advanced Lancaster. The Astros traded Nottingham and teammate and 2015 River Bandits right-hander Daniel Mengden to the Oakland Athletics for major league left-hander Scott Kazmir on July 23. Houston's sixth-round pick in 2013 out of Redlands (Calif.) High School, Nottingham led the Midwest League in slugging percentage (.543) and extra-base hits (29), ranked second in batting average (.326) and total bases (125), and ranked fourth in RBIs (46) before his promotion to the California League. His 10 home runs are the most by a River Bandit this season. In addition to starting the All-Star Game and competing in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby, Nottingham was the Quad Cities Player of the Month in May, when he led the team with a .355 batting average, 13 extra-base hits, four home runs, 20 RBIs, a .591 slugging percentage and .997 on-base-plus slugging (OPS) in 23 games.
Tanielu, 22, carries a .311 batting average that currently ranks second in the Midwest League - to league Most Valuable Player Ryan McBroom of Lansing - and seventh among Astros minor leaguers. The Huntsville, Ala., native's team-high 64 RBIs rank fifth in the league, and his .790 OPS ranks sixth. Houston's 14th round pick in 2014 out of Washington State University, Tanielu also leads Quad Cities this season in at-bats (396), hits (123), extra-base hits (34), doubles (25), total bases (171) and slugging percentage (.432). In 104 games (tying the team high), Tanielu has played 85 games at third base, 11 at first base and six at second base. Tanielu was the Quad Cities Player of the Month in July, when he hit .340 (34-for-100) with 11 doubles, two home runs and 24 RBIs in 27 games.
The River Bandits have had six postseason All-Stars the past four seasons, including outfielder Anthony Garcia (2012), designated hitter Colin Walsh (2012), shortstop Carlos Correa (2013), and outfielder Brett Phillips (2014). In nine seasons as a Houston Astros affiliate, Quad Cities has had seven postseason All-Stars. In the River Bandits' first affiliation with Houston (1993-98), outfielder Richard Hidalgo (1994), left-handed pitcher Tony Mounce (1995) and designated hitter Jim Thomas (1998) were named postseason All-Stars.
UP NEXT: The River Bandits open a six-game homestand with Military Monday presented by 97X and ESPN 93.5. All veterans and active military may purchase up to four bleacher tickets for $1 each to attend the 7 p.m. game, with gates opening at 6 p.m. Monday. 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.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: With the installation of the Ferris Wheel, the River Bandits ownership in 2014 made one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931, and this year the club is matching that effort by opening three new areas. A two-tiered special group deck immediately behind and overlooking the corn field opened in June. A new 11,000-square-foot concourse expansion down the third-base line will open late August. Finally, the club has expanded the children's play area by an additional 5,500 square feet down the right-field line, with additional bounce houses and the newest ride - Spin Zone Bumper Cars - as the latest attraction.
*****
28 Aug 2015

2015 MIDWEST LEAGUE POST SEASON ALL-STAR TEAM

By Marco LaNave

South Bend, IN (8/24/15) --- Richard A. Nussbaum II, President of the Midwest League of Professional Baseball Clubs, has announced its 2015 Post Season All-Star Roster.  The team was selected by the Field Managers of the sixteen Midwest League member clubs.


POSITION     PLAYER        B/T     HT/WT    BIRTHDATE            CLUB/AFFILIATE


First Base     Ryan McBroom    R/L     6'3/230      04/09/92        Lansing/Toronto

 

Second Base     Darren Seferina    L/R     5'9/175      01/24/94        Peoria/St. Louis


Third Base     Nick Tanielu        R/R    5'11/215      09/04/92        Quad Cities/Houston


Shortstop     Gleyber Torres    R/R     6'1/175      12/13/96        South Bend/Chicago


Outfield     Mike Gerber        L/R     6'2/195      07/08/92        West Michigan/Detroit

Nick Torres        R/R     6'1/220      06/03/93        Fort Wayne/San Diego

Alex Verdugo        L/L     6'0/205      05/15/96        Great Lakes/Los Angeles

 

Catcher     Jacob Nottingham    R/R     6'3/207      04/03/95        Quad Cities/Houston


Designated        Ryan McBroom    R/L     6'3/230      04/09/92        Lansing/Toronto

Hitter

 

RH Pitcher     Tyler Mahle        R/R     6'3/193      09/29/94        Dayton/Cincinnati


LH Pitcher     Austin Gomber    L/L     6'5/215      11/23/93        Peoria/St. Louis


RH Reliever     Kyle Grana        R/R     6'4/245      04/26/91        Peoria/St. Louis

 

LH Reliever     Zac Curtis        L/L    5'10/187      07/04/92        Kane County/Arizona


MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:        Ryan McBroom - Lansing/Toronto

PROSPECT OF THE YEAR:        Gleyber Torres - South Bend/Chicago

MANAGER OF THE YEAR:        Josh Bonifay - Quad Cities/Houston

24 Aug 2015

Saturday, August 22 Iowa State Fair Highlights

By Mindy Williamson

DES MOINES, IA (08/22/2015)(readMedia)-- With so much adventure and excitement to experience here at the Iowa State Fair, here's a brief recap of what you may have missed today and what to expect tomorrow.

Karen Cross of Ankeny won first place and a $500 cash award in the Best Templeton Rye Dessert competition. Denise Donald of Des Moines claimed second place and $300. Amanda Hagenow of Windsor Heights earned third place and $200. Entries were judged on taste alone.

Kids and parents alike stood in line for the 2015 Mutton Bustin' competition. Five rounds of competition took place in the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion culminating in the Championship Rounds. In the five and under division finals, Gage Harsh, 5, of Des Moines claimed first place. Second place was awarded to Brock Norine, 5, of Somers. In the six to eight-year-old division finals, Callie Baebout, 7, of Gravity won first place. Alyssa Tucker, 8, of Pleasant Hill claimed second place, and Coy Mergen, 6, of Altoona grabbed third place.

Contestants competed in the Scholastic and Speed Chess Tournaments held Wednesday at the 2015 Iowa State Fair. Drake Starr of Winterset, Theo Cokrean of Van Meter, Mason Peter of Boone, and Xeon Wolfe of West Des Moines all won first place in their respective division in the Scholastic Chess Tournament. In the Speed Chess round, David Skarr of Ames won first place.

Coming Up Sunday, August 23

- Enjoy the last day of the 2015 Iowa State Fair with special pricing on gate admission all day. Gate Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for ages 6-11 until 9 p.m.

-The 56th Annual Bill Riley Talent Search concludes tomorrow with the Championship round at 1:30 p.m. on the Anne and Bill Riley stage sponsored by Pepsi with media sponsor KCWI.

- Rock out in the Grandstand tomorrow with Rock-A-Thon, staring Dee Snider, Dokken, Warrant, and Firehouse, and hosted by Eddie Trunk. Tickets are $30.

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24 Aug 2015

River Bandits Weekend Results

By Marco LaNave

BANDITS LOSE 7-RUN LEAD TO SQUANDER SWEEP

Kane County is the first team since June 10 to score 10 runs off Quad Cities pitchers

GENEVA, Ill. (August 23, 2015) - The Quad Cities River Bandits scored seven runs while batting around in the second inning to take an 8-1 lead, but they lost their largest lead in a game in more than two years, as the Kane County Cougars rallied to ultimately take the lead in the eighth inning of a 10-9 win that kept the visitors from sweeping the three-game series at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark Sunday afternoon.

The River Bandits (34-21 second half, 79-44 overall) lost a seven-run lead for the first time since April 6, 2013 (also an 8-1 advantage at Kane County in a 13-10, 11-inning win) and a lost a game in which they held a seven-run lead for the first time since April 16, 2010, when they squandered a 9-1 lead at Clinton in an 11-10, 11-inning loss. On Sunday, Quad Cities put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position in the ninth inning with one out, but Cougars closer Zac Curtis retired left fielder Drew Ferguson and center fielder Jason Martin on consecutive groundouts to end the third straight one-run contest between the teams with the two best records in the Midwest League.

Quad Cities scored its first seven runs off Cougars left-hander Josh Taylor. In the first inning, center fielder Jason Martin hit a one-out single to right field, stole second base and scored on designated hitter Ramon Laureano's RBI single to left field. Kane County (38-17, 74-49) immediately tied the score in the bottom of the inning against right-hander Brock Dykxhoorn, as shortstop Ildemaro Vargas had a leadoff bunt single, stole second base and scored on second baseman Henry Castillo's RBI single.

In a 1-1 tie beginning the second inning, River Bandits catcher Trent Woodward and shortstop Kristian Trompiz began their respective three-hit games with consecutive singles. Taylor walked third baseman Luis Reynoso, before Ferguson hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly to right field. Martin then popped up a bunt that catcher Elvin Soto dropped when he collided with Taylor near the first-base line. With the bases loaded, the next six batters each collected an RBI. First baseman Bryan Muñiz singled, and Laureano walked to end Taylor's outing after 1 1/3 innings. Left-hander Hector Hernandez - a River Bandit in 2011 and 2012 in the St. Louis Cardinals organization - then allowed three straight singles to second baseman Jose Fernandez, right fielder Ryan Bottger and Woodward, who had two hits in the inning. Trompiz's sacrifice fly made it 8-1 before Hernandez escaped. Taylor was charged with seven runs - six earned - on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts, while Hernandez lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and a second-inning earned run while striking out two batters.

The Cougars' comeback began in the bottom of the second inning against Dykxhoorn. Third baseman Joe Munoz and Soto hit consecutive singles, and Vargas chopped a one-out ground ball off Muñiz's glove to score Munoz. Dykxhoorn's one-out balk scored Soto, and Castillo's two-out RBI single made it 8-4. In the fifth inning, first baseman Marty Herum hit a leadoff double to right-center field and scored on Munoz's two-out RBI single. After Quad Cities added a sixth-inning run against right-hander Jency Solis on Bottger's sacrifice fly that scored Martin, the Cougars answered in the bottom of the sixth inning with right fielder Victor Reyes' walk preceding Vargas' two-run home run. That finished Dykxhoorn's start, after he allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits (both career highs) in five-plus innings.

Left-hander Zach Davis (0-1) relieved Dykxhoorn for two scoreless innings, matching Cougars right-hander Ryan Burr (1-0). But with a 9-7 lead in the eighth inning, Davis began by hitting Vargas with a pitch, and designated hitter Cody Regis added an infield single. Castillo hit an RBI single to center field, and Herum drove a go-ahead, two-run double to right-center field for a 10-9 lead. In the ninth inning, Woodward greeted Curtis with a leadoff single. Curtis' error on Trompiz's sacrifice put runners at first and third bases, and Reynoso sacrificed Trompiz to second base before Curtis and Herum handled consecutive ground balls to give Curtis with his league-best 29th save.

BANDITS USE EARLY LEAD TO ELUDE COUGARS

Quad Cities moves within three games of Kane County in the second-half Western Division race

GENEVA, Ill. (August 22, 2015) - The Quad Cities River Bandits scored three first-inning runs and never lost the lead, as left fielder Drew Ferguson and second baseman Jose Fernandez each homered, before right-hander Angel Heredia allowed two ninth-inning runs but stranded the tying run at third base to save a 6-5 win over the first-place Kane County Cougars at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark Saturday night.

Holding the best record in baseball, the playoff-bound River Bandits (34-20 second half, 79-43 overall) won their second straight one-run game over the Cougars (37-17, 73-49) and became the first visiting team to win a series in Kane County since Bowling Green June 3-5.

River Bandits center fielder Bobby Boyd began the game with a bunt single fielded by Cougars All-Star first baseman Marty Herum. After Cougars left-hander Jared Miller (3-4) struck out Ferguson, All-Star third baseman Nick Tanielu grounded a single into left field. With Boyd and Tanielu both running, designated hitter Bryan Muñiz grounded an RBI single off the glove of shortstop Ildemaro Vargas into left field to score Boyd. After Fernandez walked to load the bases, right fielder Ramon Laureano grounded to All-Star third baseman Cody Regis, whose throw on a force attempt went past catcher Michael Perez, allowing Tanielu and Muñiz to score.

After the three-run first inning, Miller allowed four hits over the next five innings, with the only additional run coming on Ferguson's first Midwest League home run on a drive down the left-field line to a picnic deck for his first Midwest League home run. Miller was charged with four runs - three earned - on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts in six innings.

River Bandits right-hander Joshua James (6-3) held the Cougars to two singles by Vargas through the first four innings. James faced one batter over the minimum until the fifth inning, when second baseman Henry Castillo grounded a triple down the first-base line and scored on a sacrifice fly from Cougars All-Star center fielder Colin Bray to cut the lead to 4-1.

Kane County put the tying run on base for the first time in the sixth inning, when Vargas hit a one-out double to right field, Regis hit an RBI single to left-center field, and James hit Herum with a pitch. That ended James' outing after 5 1/3 innings in which allowed six hits without a walk or strikeout. Right-hander Eric Peterson entered and hit Castillo with his first pitch to load the bases with a 4-2 lead. After Bray flied out to right field, Peterson's wild pitch scored Regis to make it 4-3. With the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, Peterson got catcher Michael Perez to fly out to left field. James was charged with all three earned runs, but Peterson held the one-run lead for 2 2/3 scoreless innings, working around a walk in the seventh inning and error and hit batter in the eighth inning.

Ferguson and Fernandez helped Quad Cities add insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively, against Cougars right-hander Nick Baker. Ferguson hit a seventh-inning, two-out single to right field, marking his first three-hit game as a River Bandit. He then stole second base on the same play as a Baker wild pitch, allowing Ferguson to reach third base, before another wild pitch scored him. In the eighth inning, Fernandez hit a leadoff drive over the left-field wall for his second Midwest League home run this season and a 6-3 lead.

In the ninth inning, Heredia began with a three-run lead and struck out Perez - the only strikeout by a Quad Cities pitcher in the game - before a one-out walk to designated hitter Joe Munoz and two-out walk to left fielder Chuck Taylor. Vargas then hit a two-run triple to right-center field - his game-high fourth hit - to make it 6-5, before Regis flied out to Boyd, giving Heredia his team-high ninth save.

BANDITS BULLPEN SILENCES FIRST-PLACE COUGARS

Using a franchise-record 32nd pitcher this season, Quad Cities beats Midwest League ERA leader

GENEVA, Ill. (August 21, 2015) - The Quad Cities River Bandits fell behind, 2-0, in the first two innings but rallied for three runs in the fifth inning, while left-hander Steve Naemark and right-hander Elieser Hernandez combined for 5 2/3 scoreless relief innings in a series-opening 3-2 victory over the first-place Kane County Cougars at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark Friday night.

With their 33rd comeback win of the season, the River Bandits (33-20 second half, 78-43 overall) kept their hold of the best record in Minor League Baseball while denying the Cougars (37-15, 73-48) a chance to trim their magic number to clinch a second-half playoff berth. Quad Cities also made history in the bottom of the first inning, when right-hander Thomas Eshelman made his Midwest League debut. The Astros' second-round pick in this June's draft became the 32nd different pitcher the team has used this season, topping the 56-year Midwest League franchise's previous single-season high of 31 pitchers used in 2005. Eshelman allowed both Kane County runs after leadoff walks in the first two innings, but he lasted a career-high 3 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

Eshelman began the first inning by walking Cougars left fielder Chuck Taylor, who went to third base on designated hitter Henry Castillo's one-out single to left-center field. All-Star first baseman Marty Herum hit an RBI single to right field, scoring Taylor for a 1-0 Cougars lead. After All-Star center fielder Colin Bray walked to load the bases, shortstop Dawel Lugo to hit into an inning-ending double play.

In the bottom of the second inning, Eshelman opened with a walk to Cougars third baseman Joe Munoz, followed by catcher Elvin Soto's single to right field and right fielder Victor Reyes' RBI double down the third-base line for a 2-0 lead. With runners at second and third bases, Eshelman struck out Taylor before consecutive groundouts by second baseman Ildemaro Vargas and Castillo to end the inning. That began a stretch of seven straight batters Eshelman retired before Soto's one-out double in the fourth inning to end Eshelman's outing.

With Eshelman's exit, Naemark (1-0) entered in the fourth inning and allowed an infield single to Reyes. With Reyes at first base and Soto at third with one out, Reyes broke for second base, while second baseman Jose Fernandez cut off a throw from catcher Trent Woodward and threw back to home plate to get Soto for the inning's second out. Naemark got Taylor to ground out to end the inning.

Entering with a Midwest League-leading 2.47 ERA, Cougars right-hander Brad Keller (7-9) allowed two hits and a walk in the first four innings, but right fielder Ramon Laureano began the fifth inning with an infield single to Lugo. Woodward walked, and on a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Luis Reynoso, Keller overthrew first base, allowing Laureano to score and putting Woodward and Reynoso at third and second bases, respectively. After center fielder Bobby Boyd struck out, designated hitter Drew Ferguson lined a game-tying single to right-center field. Then All-Star third baseman Nick Tanielu bounced an infield single behind second base, where Vargas only stopped the ball from reaching center field, as Reynoso scored for a 3-2 Quad Cities lead. Keller was charged with three runs - two earned - on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts in five innings. The Cougars bullpen combined to allow two hits and no walks in four scoreless innings.

With a 3-2 lead, Naemark allowed a fifth-inning leadoff double to Vargas, who went to third base on Castillo's sacrifice. Herum walked before Naemark got two straight popups, including an inning-ending sliding catch by Laureano in right field. Hernandez also got help from Laureano's diving catch in the right-center field gap to end the sixth inning with the tying run at first base. Hernandez scattered three hits without walking a batter and striking out three in four scoreless innings to earn his first Midwest League save.

24 Aug 2015

Yodelling news from the Iowa State Fair

By Mindy Williamson

St. Charles Man Earns Top Yodeling Honors Again at Iowa State Fair

DES MOINES, IA (08/21/2015)(readMedia)-- Ken Reed, 80, of St. Charles won first place for the second year in a row in the Yodeling contest judged Thursday at the 2015 Iowa State Fair.

Verle Spence, 75, of Hartford placed second, and Autumn Harris, 30, of Muscatine claimed third place.

The contest was part of "Rural Americana Olde Tyme Competitions" in Farm Bureau Pioneer Hall. A first prize of $5 and ribbons were awarded to each class.

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21 Aug 2015

BANDITS STARTERS STRONG IN DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP

By Marco LaNave

Ferrell and Deetz lead Quad Cities to first doubleheader sweep since July 6, 2014

DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 20, 2015) - Justin Ferrell pitched six shutout innings in the first game of the double header, allowing four hits and striking out six with one walk, and Dean Deetz followed with five solid innings in the second game, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks, as the Quad Cities River Bandits swept a doubleheader from the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers by scores of 3-2 and 8-1 in a pair of seven-inning games in front of 2,562 at Modern Woodmen Park Wednesday night.

Ferrell (4-2) was sharp early in the first game, striking out five batters in the first three innings. Of the four hits he allowed, all came in different innings, and the first three came in innings with the bases empty and two outs.

Quad Cities (32-19 second half, 77-42 overall) scored right away against Angel Ventura (6-6), rallying for runs in both the first and second innings. With two away and nobody on base in the first, third baseman Nick Tanielu singled on an 0-2 pitch, keeping the inning alive for center fielder Ramon Laureano, who drew a walk. Second baseman Jose Fernandez followed by drawing a free pass as well, and the rally culminated with the third straight base on balls, issued to designated hitter Bryan Muniz, bringing Tanielu in to score.

A run in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Laureano gave the Bandits a third run, one that proved to be valuable when the Timber Rattlers (17-33, 40-80) came to hit in the seventh, and final scheduled, inning against Angel Heredia. Right fielder Elvis Rubio singled, followed by a strikeout of left fielder Mitch Meyer. A one-out double by catcher Natanael Mejia advanced Rubio to third. Center fielder Omar Cotto struck out, and first baseman Alan Sharkey drove in both runners with a base hit, narrowing the gap to just one run. Heredia then got shortstop Blake Allemand to ground out to end the game, leaving the tying run on base for Heredia's team-high eighth save.

In the second game, Wisconsin got out to the early lead, scoring a run in the top of the first against Deetz (2-1). Alleman singled with one out and advanced to third on a groundout by third baseman Sthervin Matos. With two outs, designated hitter Tucker Neuhaus doubled down the right-field line, scoring Allemand and giving the Timber Rattlers their first lead of the doubleheader.

In the bottom of the first inning, however, the River Bandits struck back with three runs of their own against Kodi Medeiros (4-3). Left fielder Drew Ferguson led off the inning with a double. After Tanielu struck out, Laureano walked and Muniz was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Fernandez, who drew a bases-loaded walk - the second of the night for Quad Cities - to tie the game, 1-1. Right fielder Ryan Bottger followed with a fly ball to right field, deep enough to score Laureano and the River Bandits the 2-1 lead. Medeiros' second wild pitch of the inning scored Muniz to make it 3-1, more than enough of a lead for the rest of the night.

The River Bandits added a single run in the third inning and three in the fourth on a bases-clearing double by Muniz, busting the game wide open and vaulting Quad Cities to a 7-1 lead.

The sweep of Wisconsin in the doubleheader is the first for the River Bandits since July 6, 2014, when Quad Cities also swept the Timber Rattlers at Modern Woodmen Park. In its first seven doubleheaders since that date, the River Bandits had split six and lost one.

18 Aug 2015

MWL Dominates List of Top Minor League Markets

By Marco LaNave

South Bend, IN (8/18/15) --- The Sports Business Journal, one of the most well recognized publications chronicling sports business issues, has released its biennial report on the top Minor League markets.

  • Fourteen (14) of Sixteen (16) Midwest League markets were ranked
  • Quad Cities Ranked No.1
  • Fort Wayne, IN, three (3) and Grand Rapids, MI, ten (10) helped make the Midwest League with the most Clubs in the Top Ten (10 ).
  • 20 % of the Teams in the Top 25 markets are Midwest League teams including Peoria, IL (18) and Appleton, WI (21)
  • 100% of the Midwest League States were named

Midwest League President Dick Nussbaum stated, "It is no surprise so many of our Clubs are mentioned in the Sports Business Journal list.  Our fans are going to our ballparks in record numbers this year. We hope as the summer comes to a close everyone will take advantage watching of Midwest League baseball."

http://m.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2015/08/17/Research-and-Ratings/Minors-Quad-Cities.aspx

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