BANDITS SILENCE SNAPPERS FOR 12TH STRAIGHT WIN

Quad Cities extends pro baseball's longest active winning streak and moves baseball's best record to 25-6

DAVENPORT, Iowa (May 11, 2015) - Designated hitter Sean McMullen came within a single of the cycle, and right-hander Daniel Mengden ran his personal scoreless streak to 21 innings with six shutout frames, as the Quad Cities River Bandits won their 12th straight game - to extend what is believed to be the franchise's longest winning streak in 36 seasons - with an 8-0 triumph over the Beloit Snappers in front of 1,833 at Modern Woodmen Park Monday night.

The River Bandits (25-6) continued their hold on the best record in professional baseball this season with their third shutout - all of which have come during the team's 12-game winning streak that is believed to be the longest for the Midwest League franchise since the Quad City Cubs won their final 13 regular season games in 1979. Mengden has started all three shutouts and has the longest individual scoreless streak by a River Bandits pitcher since Dean Kiekhefer was not charged with a run in his final 24 1/3 innings of the 2011 regular season.

Mengden (3-1) started the game by retiring the first six Beloit batters, and Quad Cities gave him a lead in the second inning against right-hander Daniel Gossett (1-4). Second baseman Mott Hyde hit a one-out single to down the first-base line and scored when McMullen hit a line drive to right field that skipped past a diving Shawn Duinkerk for an RBI triple.

With a 1-0 lead, Mengden allowed his first baserunners in the third inning, as Snappers left fielder Max Kuhn drew a leadoff walk, and center fielder James Harris drew a two-out walk. Second baseman Trent Gilbert hit a sharp line drive down the third-base line, where third baseman Nick Tanielu's dive stopped the ball from reaching the outfield and kept Kuhn at third base. With the bases loaded, Mengden got shortstop Yairo Munoz to ground into an inning-ending fielder's choice.

Beloit (13-18) never put the tying run in scoring position for the rest of the game, as Kuhn was caught stealing at second base following a leadoff single in the fifth, and Harris was erased on a double play after a leadoff walk in the sixth. Mengden pitched six shutout innings for a second straight start, yielded two hits and a career-high three walks, and struck out three batters.

The River Bandits widened their lead and chased Gossett in the fifth inning. McMullen hit a leadoff double to left-center field and reached third base on a sacrifice bunt by left fielder Jason Martin. Gossett fielded the bunt and threw toward first base, but the ball struck Martin's back, and the latter reached first base safely, while McMullen scored. Martin then stole second base, before shortstop Thomas Lindauer walked, and right fielder Bobby Boyd sacrificed both runners into scoring position. With the infield in and an 0-2 count, first baseman Jamie Ritchie lined a two-run single to right-center field to make it 4-0. Gossett then walked center fielder Derek Fisher and was removed after 4 1/3 innings, in which he allowed four runs - three earned - on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

Relieving Gossett, right-hander Carlos Navas worked 1 2/3 innings with four strikeouts but allowed McMullen's home run to the Built Ford Tough Deck in the sixth inning that made it 5-0. Quad Cities added its final three runs in the seventh inning against left-hander Mike Fagan. Ritchie drew a leadoff walk, and Fisher extended his team season-high 10-game hitting streak with an RBI double to left-center field. Hyde hit one-out double past a stumbling Duinkerk in right field, and Tanielu singled to left field to bring in Hyde for an 8-0 lead.

Following Mengden, right-hander Keegan Yuhl struck out five batters in two scoreless innings, and right-hander Jose Montero worked around two walks and a dropped popup for a scoreless ninth inning. The two Beloit hits Monday were the fewest Quad Cities pitchers had allowed in a game since yielding two to Kane County in Game 1 of a doubleheader April 5, 2014.

The River Bandits continue their series against Beloit at 11 a.m. Tuesday, when River Bandits right-hander Brock Dykxhoorn (2-1) is scheduled to face Snappers right-hander Brett Graves (1-0).

UP NEXT: Book Buddies reading program participants will get to see the 11 a.m. game on a Dew-for-Twosday presented by Pepsi, WOC, and Q106.5. Regular individual tickets are buy-one-get-one free, and anyone who brings an empty Mountain Dew can to the box office can exchange it for a free 16 oz. Mountain Dew voucher. 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.

NOTTINGHAM BLASTS BANDITS TO 11TH STRAIGHT WIN

The longest active winning streak in baseball is believed to be the Midwest League franchise's best since 1979

DAVENPORT, Iowa (May 9, 2015) - Quad Cities River Bandits catcher Jacob Nottingham hit a three-run home run and a two-run triple Saturday night to help his team to a 6-3 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers for Quad Cities' 11th straight victory - the longest active streak in professional baseball and believed to be the longest for the franchise since 1979 - in front of 4,229 at Modern Woodmen Park.

With the best start for the franchise in more than 30 years, the 24-6 River Bandits have the best record in affiliated professional baseball through Saturday, and won six games in nine days against Wisconsin (8-22), which has dropped its last nine games overall.

River Bandits right-hander Austin Chrismon (4-1), who earned the win April 29 in the first game of Quad Cities' current streak, won for the third time in 11 days, after allowing one earned run on five hits and no walks with five strikeouts. However, he allowed Wisconsin to take the game's first lead in the second inning, as designated hitter David Denson hit a two-out double to the center field warning track, and right fielder Elvis Rubio hit an RBI double to the left-center field gap for a 1-0 Timber Rattlers lead. Chrismon then worked around three hits in the next three innings to pitch five innings for a fourth consecutive start.

Against Wisconsin right-hander Milton Gomez (1-2), the River Bandits had two hits but no runs through two innings, but they took the lead for good in the third inning. Right fielder Bobby Boyd hit a one-out chopper over the pitcher's mound for an infield single and went to third base on a two-out single to center field by center fielder Derek Fisher. Nottingham then hit the very next pitch from Gomez to the Miller Lite Party Deck in right-center field for a 3-1 lead on his team's first home run in nine May games and his fifth home run of the season.

Chrismon kept the 3-1 lead until left-hander Reymin Guduan began the top of the sixth inning. Guduan worked around a hit batter in the sixth inning, but Wisconsin did tally a run in the seventh. Denson led off with a double to right field and went to third base on a groundout by Rubio before a two-out wild pitch on a strikeout of left fielder Mitch Meyer allowed Denson to score, trimming the River Bandits' lead to 3-2. With the tying run at first base, Guduan got second baseman Francisco Castillo to fly out to left field. Guduan was charged with one earned run on one hit and no walks with two strikeouts in two innings.

For Wisconsin, Gomez lasted 5 2/3 innings, and left-hander Tyler Linehan recorded the final out in the sixth inning, before left-hander Luis Ortega began the bottom of the seventh with a 3-2 deficit. The first four batters of the inning all bunted. Left fielder Jason Martin placed a bunt single down the first-base line, and shortstop Kristian Trompiz sacrificed him to second base. Boyd then put a bunt single to the third-base side of the grass in front of home plate. With runners at first and third bases, second baseman Mott Hyde bunted to the first-base side of the pitcher's mound and beat the through from Ortega for an RBI single. With runners at first and second bases, Fisher struck out, but Nottingham launched his first triple since last July 14 to right-center field to score Boyd and Hyde for a 6-2 River Bandits lead. Ortega went on to finish two innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Nottingham matched a career high with five RBIs and was the first River Bandit with a five-RBI game since Brian Holberton had five RBIs at Kane County on May 18, 2014.

River Bandits right-hander Ryan Thompson began the eighth inning with a four-run lead and worked around a one-out walk and single for a scoreless eighth inning. In the ninth, Timber Rattlers shortstop Gregory Munoz grounded a one-out double down the third-base line, went to third base on a groundout and scored on Castillo's RBI infield single toward second base. But Thompson struck out center fielder Brandon Diaz for the final out of the team's third straight series sweep.

Following a Midwest League-wide off day Sunday, the River Bandits open their first scheduled four-game series against the Beloit Snappers (13-17) at 7 p.m. Monday at Modern Woodmen Park Monday. River Bandits right-hander Daniel Mengden (2-1) is scheduled to face Snappers right-hander Daniel Gossett (1-3).

BATS BACK BOSTICK; BANDITS' WIN STREAK IS 10

Quad Cities scores a season-high 11 runs and improves to 23-6 to keep the best record in baseball

DAVENPORT, Iowa (May 8, 2015) - The Quad Cities River Bandits scored four first-inning runs, and right-hander Akeem Bostick tossed five innings of one-hit, shutout baseball in his Midwest League debut to help his team to its 10th straight win with an 11-6 victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in front of a season-high 4,673 at Modern Woodmen Park Friday night.

The River Bandits (23-6) maintained their hold of the best record in affiliated professional baseball this season and increased their Midwest League Western Division to 5 ½ games while posting their longest winning streak since 10 straight games April 26-May 7, 2002. Five of the wins in their current streak have come against Wisconsin (8-21), which has lost eight consecutive games.

After Bostick (1-0) began his first start for a Houston Astros minor league affiliate with a perfect top of the first inning, Quad Cities got started against Timber Rattlers right-hander David Burkhalter (0-3). Right fielder Bobby Boyd blooped a single into right-center field for his first of a game-high three hits, stole second base on the next pitch and went to third base on a flyout by catcher Jamie Ritchie. Center fielder Derek Fisher drew a walk, and third baseman Nick Tanielu flied out to right field. With runners at first and third bases, two outs and an 0-2 count, first baseman Bryan Muñiz lined a single into center field to score Boyd for the game's first run. Second baseman Alex Hernandez then drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Burkhalter worked to an 0-2 count against designated hitter Ryan Bottger, who then drove a double to the right-center field warning track to score Fisher, Muñiz and Hernandez for a 4-0 Quad Cities lead.

Bostick worked around a hit batter in the second inning to retire 10 of the first 11 batters he faced. Timber Rattlers second baseman Francisco Castillo got his team's first hit with a fourth-inning, one-out single to left-center field. Two batters later, Bostick hit designated hitter Dustin DeMuth for a second straight plate appearance before retiring the next four batters to finish five innings with one strikeout and no walks. It was the first time Bostick had not allowed a run in a game since pitching five shutout innings for a victory as a Hickory Crawdad in the Texas Rangers organization last July 3 at West Virginia in the Class-A South Atlantic League.

Burkhalter set down 10 consecutive River Bandits batters in one stretch before shortstop Kristian Trompiz led off the fifth inning with a double to left-center field. Boyd then placed a bunt single to third baseman Tucker Neuhaus, who overthrew first base to allow Trompiz to score and Boyd to reach second base. Ritchie's groundout and Fisher's RBI single scored Boyd to make it 6-0. Burkhalter was charged with six earned runs on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Following Bostick, right-hander Brandon McNitt made his Midwest League debut to begin the sixth inning. He kept the shutout until one out in the eighth inning, when Timber Rattlers center fielder Brandon Diaz hit a solo home run to the Modern Woodmen Berm in left field for the first Wisconsin run since Diaz homered in the first inning Thursday. With two outs, Neuhaus reached on a bunt single, and DeMuth hit a two-run home run to right-center field to cut the Quad Cities lead to 6-3.

Quad Cities added to its lead in the bottom of the eighth inning against left-hander Kodi Medeiros. Muñiz and Hernandez began the inning with consecutive walks, and after a wild pitch, both scored on a one-out single by left fielder Jason Martin. Trompiz and Boyd each singled, with the latter plating Martin to make it 9-3. Ritchie walked to load the bases, and Fisher reached on an error by first baseman David Denson to score Trompiz. Tanielu hit a sacrifice fly against right-ahnder Luke Curtis to cap the five-run inning.

With an 11-3 lead, right-hander Jose Montero started the ninth inning. Shortstop Gregory Munoz hit a leadoff double, Montero walked two batters, and errors by Hernandez and Trompiz helped score three unearned runs before Montero fanned Neuhaus to end the game.

The River Bandits seek their third straight series sweep when they host the Timber Rattlers for the series finale at 6 p.m. Saturday, when Quad Cities right-hander Austin Chrismon (3-1) is scheduled to face Wisconsin right-hander Milton Gomez (1-1).

BANDITS BEAT RATTLERS TO WIN 9TH STRAIGHT

Quad Cities' longest winning streak in 13 years gives the club the best current record in affiliated baseball

DAVENPORT, Iowa (May 8, 2015) - After a first-inning, one-out home run by Wisconsin Timber Rattlers center fielder Brandon Diaz, Quad Cities River Bandits left-hander Chris Lee and right-hander Kevin Comer combined to hold the visitors scoreless for the rest of a 4-1 victory and their team's ninth straight win in front of 1,480 at Modern Woodmen Park Thursday night.

With the best record in affiliated professional baseball, Quad Cities (22-6) has won nine straight games for the first time in exactly 13 years. The team's last winning streak of at least nine games was a 10-game streak April 26-May 7, 2002.

Entering Thursday with six straight losses, the Timber Rattlers (8-20) took their first lead in three games in the first inning. With one out, Diaz hit a drive over the right-field wall in front of the Built Ford Tough Deck for his first home run since July 2014 - and the first Midwest League home run allowed by Lee (2-2) since Aug. 15, 2014.

In the bottom of the first inning, the River Bandits responded with two outs against right-hander Cy Sneed (1-3). Center fielder Derek Fisher hit double down the right-field line that landed just beyond the dive of right fielder Elvis Rubio. Catcher Jacob Nottingham then singled to left field to score Fisher for the tying run. First baseman Bryan Muñiz then grounded to shortstop Luis Aviles, who misplayed it for an error to continue the inning. With runners at first and second bases, River Bandits second baseman Alex Hernandez capitalized by grounding a single into center field that scored Nottingham for a 2-1 Quad Cities lead.

Lee held the 2-1 lead for the rest of his second straight five-inning, one-run start against Wisconsin. He worked around a bunt single in the second inning, a leadoff base runner from an error by third baseman Kristian Trompiz in the third inning, a walk in the fourth inning, and a single and walk in the fifth inning. He allowed three hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

Sneed did not allow a hit after the first inning and faced the minimum in the second through fifth innings. Shortstop Thomas Lindauer drew a walk with one out in the second inning but was thrown out trying to steal second base to end the inning. Sneed did not allow another base runner, allowing two runs - one earned - on three hits and one walk with five strikeouts in six innings.

Comer began the sixth inning with a 2-1 lead and retired the first two batters before third baseman Tucker Neuhaus put a bunt single toward Trompiz. Neuhaus was awarded third base after Trompiz fielded and then discarded the ball to the third-base dugout. But two pitches later, Trompiz caught a foul popup by second baseman Dustin DeMuth near the third-base dugout to end the inning.

In leaving 10 runners on base, Wisconsin had its best scoring threat in the top of the seventh inning. Catcher Greg McCall hit a leadoff double to right-center field and went to third base on a bunt single by shortstop Luis Aviles. Comer then struck out left fielder Mitch Meyer before hitting Diaz to load the bases. With one out, Comer struck out designated hitter Carlos Leal swinging and first baseman Sthervin Matos looking to keep the 2-1 Quad Cities lead.

Quad Cities added two runs against right-hander Josh Uhen. With two in the seventh inning, Trompiz grounded an infield single down the third-base line and scored when left fielder Jason Martin drove a double to left-center field. In the eighth inning, designated hitter Mott Hyde, Fisher and Nottingham hit consecutive one-out singles to make it 4-1.

Comer struck out the side around a two-out walk in the eighth inning and struck out all three batters in the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season. He recorded the final nine outs on strikeouts and yielded three hits and one walk in four shutout innings.

The River Bandits, who have allowed only 10 runs in their last 10 games, continue their series with Wisconsin at 7 p.m. Friday.

UP NEXT: Gates open at 6 p.m. Friday for Neon Night, presented by Fitness Xpress. Anyone who wears a neon piece of clothing will get $1 off any regularly priced ticket. After the 7 p.m. game will be Friday Fireworks presented by Smart Toyota of the Quad Cities, WLLR and WQAD. 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.

BANDITS SWEEP COUGARS, WIN 8TH STRAIGHT

With its longest regular season winning streak in 13 seasons, Quad Cities is the first team in baseball to 21 wins

GENEVA, Ill. (May 6, 2015) - Quad Cities River Bandits pitchers Joshua James, Reymin Guduan, Brock Dykxhoorn and Eric Peterson combined to hold the Kane County Cougars to one run on seven singles at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark Wednesday, and the team completed a perfect six-game road trip to win its eighth straight game and become the first team in baseball to win 21 games this season.

The first-place River Bandits (21-6) have their best 27-game start in at least 30 years and their longest regular season winning streak since a 10-game streak April 26-May 7, 2002. They are 13-2 on the road and have swept three straight road series to win nine straight road games for the first time since August 2010. The team had not been perfect on a road trip of six or more games in at least 12 seasons.

Kane County (11-16) kept Quad Cities scoreless for three innings, as Cougars left-hander Jared Miller (2-2) retired nine of the first 10 batters. In the fourth inning, Miller walked first baseman Jamie Ritchie before designated hitter Mott Hyde flied out to center field. Third baseman Nick Tanielu grounded into a fielder's choice that retired Ritchie, but catcher Alfredo Gonzalez doubled to left field to score Tanielu. It was the only run in five innings against Miller, who allowed three hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

For the River Bandits, James began by retiring the first five batters he faced. With two outs in the second inning, Cougars designated hitter Steve McQuail singled to left field, and James allowed the first walk by a Quad Cities pitcher since the seventh inning of Sunday's game in Wisconsin - a stretch of 22 innings - to catcher Stryker Trahan. James also walked third baseman Joe Munoz to load the bases before second baseman Alvaro Rondon hit a 3-2, two-out pitch for an inning-ending flyout to left fielder Sean McMullen.

James lasted until the fourth inning with two outs, when Trahan and Munoz hit consecutive singles. James was removed after allowing four hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 3 2/3 shutout innings. Guduan came in to strike out Rondon to end the inning and retired all three batters in the fifth inning to preserve the 1-0 lead. The left-hander was earned the win in his first two Midwest League outings.

After Miller, Cougars right-hander Jeferson Mejia began the sixth inning and kept the game at 1-0 through the seventh inning. In the eighth inning, shortstop Thomas Lindauer hit a leadoff single to left field, went to second base on a sacrifice by center fielder Jason Martin, to third base on a flyout by Ritchie and scored on Mejia's wild pitch for a 2-0 Quad Cities lead.

Beginning the sixth inning after Guduan, Dykxhoorn kept Kane County scoreless until the eighth inning. With a 2-0 lead, he allowed a two-out single by first baseman Marty Herum, hit Elander with a pitch and walked McQuail to load the bases. Dykxhoorn then threw a wild pitch with Trahan batting, and Herum scored the first run against a Quad Cities pitcher since the third inning Monday - a span of 23 innings. With the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, Trahan flied out to right field on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning. Dykxhoorn allowed one earned run on three hits and one walk with two strikeouts in three innings.

The River Bandits added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning against Cougars right-hander Bud Jeter. Third baseman Kristian Trompiz singled to center field, Gonzalez was hit by a pitch, and second baseman Alex Hernandez put down a sacrifice that Munoz failed to field cleanly. Right fielder Ryan Bottger hit an RBI single to center field, and two batters later, Lindauer hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1. In the bottom of the ninth, Peterson allowed a leadoff walk to Munoz before setting down the next three batters for his third save and the first River Bandits sweep in Kane County since a four-game opening series April 4-7, 2013. In its last nine games, the Quad Cities pitching staff has pitched two shutouts and allowed a total of nine runs - six earned - in 83 innings, for a  0.65 ERA in that span.

MENGDEN, BANDITS CONTINUE TO ROLL IN SHUTOUT

Quad Cities wins seventh straight as right-hander and pitching staff both extend scoreless streaks to 15 innings

GENEVA, Ill. (May 5, 2015) - Quad Cities River Bandits right-hander Daniel Mengden pitched a career-high six innings and combined with right-handers Keegan Yuhl and Ryan Thompson for a six-hit shutout, while third baseman Nick Tanielu had a team-high three hits in a 4-0 win over the Kane County Cougars at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark and seventh straight Quad Cities victory Tuesday afternoon.

With their longest winning streak since winning seven in a row July 28-Aug. 3, 2013, the River Bandits (20-6) led the Western Division by 5 ½ games entering Tuesday night's games. In its last eight games, the Quad Cities pitching staff has pitched two shutouts and allowed a total of eight runs - five earned - in 74 innings, for a  0.61 ERA in that span. The team has also not walked an opposing batter in the last 20 innings and leads the Midwest League this season with a 2.09 ERA and 1.09 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP).

With Tuesday's shutout, the River Bandits have kept Kane County (11-15) scoreless for the last 15 innings. Mengden (2-1) also extended a personal 15-inning scoreless streak that covers his last three outings. On Tuesday, he retired the first nine Kane County batters, including three on strikeouts, and finished with five hits and no walks with four strikeouts in six innings.

Facing Quad Cities for the second time this season, Cougars right-hander Brent Jones (1-3) kept the game scoreless for three innings. In the top of the fourth inning, River Bandits center fielder Derek Fisher led off with a bunt single to the third-base side and went to second base on Tanielu's one-out single to right field. With two outs and runners at first and second bases, left fielder Sean McMullen lined a double down the right-field line to score Fisher and place Tanielu at third base. Designated hitter Jason Martin followed by chopping an infield single behind second base to score Tanielu, but McMullen was thrown out at home plate to end the inning with a 2-0 Quad Cities lead.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Cougars center fielder Colin Bray became the first batter to reach base against Mengden with a bunt single that rolled parallel to the third-base line until it struck third base. Shortstop Ryan Gebhardt then singled to right field. With the tying run at first base, Mengden got second baseman Cody Regis to ground into a double play, and then fielded a ground ball to retire designated hitter Steve McQuail. In the fifth inning, Cougars catcher Stryker Trahan and third baseman Joe Munoz each singled with two outs before right fielder Victor Reyes popped out. In the sixth inning, Regis hit a two-out double before McQuail flied out to end the inning.

Jones kept the score at 2-0 through six innings, in which he allowed eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts. In the fifth, shortstop Kristian Trompiz singled and went to second base on a sacrifice by right fielder Bobby Boyd. The game paused as home plate umpire J.C. Velez-Morales, struck in the head by a foul bunted ball during Boyd's at bat, left the field for treatment, and base umpire Andrew Chesnut took over home plate and solo umpiring duties. Trompiz advanced to third base on a passed ball but was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice. In the sixth, Tanielu's single and walks to McMullen and Martin loaded the bases before Trompiz flied out to end the inning.

In the seventh inning, Cougars left-hander Steve Hathaway walked Boyd, and catcher Jamie Ritchie reached on Gebhardt's throwing error that also sent Boyd to third. Second baseman Mott Hyde put a one-out squeeze bunt toward first base to score Boyd and move Ritchie to second base, and Tanielu - who has four straight multi-hit games - hit an RBI single for a 4-0 lead. Hathaway pitched a scoreless eighth inning and right-hander Luis Ramirez worked a scoreless ninth inning, but the Quad Cities bullpen held the Cougars to one baserunner, as Yuhl worked around a Reyes single in the eighth inning, and Thompson pitched a perfect ninth inning.

In Wednesday's 11 a.m. series finale, River Bandits right-hander Joshua James (1-0) is scheduled to face Cougars left-hander Jared Miller (2-1). The River Bandits seek their first eight-game regular season winning streak since they won 10 straight games April 26-May 7, 2002. With eight straight road wins - their longest such streak since nine straight in August 2010 - and a 12-2 record on the road this season, they also seek a third straight road series sweep and their first series sweep in Kane County since a four-game opening series April 4-7, 2013.

Quad Cities uses three-run sixth inning to snap six-game losing streak at Kane County

GENEVA, Ill. (May 4, 2015) - Right-hander Austin Chrismon became the first Quad Cities River Bandits starter to pitch seven innings in a game this season, and left fielder Derek Fisher hit a go-ahead two-run double in a three-run sixth inning that gave the visitors a 3-1 victory over the Kane County Cougars at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark and season-high sixth straight win Monday night.

Eight different River Bandits had a hit in the team's 11^th comeback victory of the year. After losing its last six games at Kane County last season, Quad Cities (19-6) won Monday to remain perfect in five road series openers this season and opened a five-game first-place lead in in the Midwest League Western Division. Quad Cities' six-game winning streak is its longest since six straight wins last May 27-June 1.

Chrismon (3-1) allowed one run on five hits in the first three innings, but after allowing an infield single to start the fourth inning, he set down the next 12 batters in order. He was charged with one earned run on six hits and no walks with one strikeout in seven innings. Right-hander Jose Montero worked around a single in the eighth inning to toss two scoreless innings for his fourth save. In the last seven games, the River Bandits (19-6) have allowed eight total runs, and just five earned runs in 65 innings for a 0.69 team ERA in that span.

Opposite Chrismon, Cougars right-hander Markus Solbach (1-2) held the River Bandits to one hit, one walk and no runs through the first five innings. Kane County (11-14) gave Solbach a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Right fielder Josh Elander hit a one-out single to right field and went to second base on a groundout by center fielder Colin Bray. Shortstop Ryan Gebhardt reached on an infield single to the left side to put runners at first and third bases, and second baseman Cody Regis hit an RBI single through the right side of the infield, before designated hitter Steve McQuail flied out to end the inning.

In the pivotal top of the sixth inning, shortstop Kristian Trompiz hit a leadoff single to center field and on a pitch in the dirt by Solbach, Trompiz ran for second base, where he dodged Gebhardt's tag. Right fielder Bobby Boyd grounded out to Regis to advance Trompiz to third base. First baseman Jamie Ritchie then drew a full-count walk, before Fisher hit the first pitch from Solbach to the warning track in left-center field to score Trompiz and Ritchie with the tying and go-ahead runs, respectively. Second baseman Mott Hyde, the reigning Midwest League Player of the Week, then singled to center field, and after Bray's throw to the plate, Fisher avoided the tag of catcher Jose Queliz to make it 3-1. Third baseman Nick Tanielu followed with a single to chase Solbach, who was charged with three earned runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Right-hander Jency Solis came in to get catcher Jacob Nottingham to ground into an inning-ending double play.

The Cougars bullpen worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings. In the seventh inning, Solis allowed a leadoff single to designated hitter Sean McMullen but picked him off first base. Left fielder Jason Martin then walked, and Trompiz was hit by a pitch, but a strikeout and fielder's choice ended the inning. In the eighth inning, right-hander Cody Geyer allowed a one-out walk to Hyde and singles by Tanielu and Nottingham to load the bases, before McMullen lined to first baseman Marty Herum for an inning-ending double play. In the ninth inning, right-hander Nick Baker allowed Martin's leadoff single before Queliz threw out Martin at second base on a missed bunt by Trompiz. Boyd added a two-out double, but Baker struck out Ritchie to end the inning.

Winners of seven straight road games with an 11-2 overall record on the road this season, the River Bandits continue their series in Kane County at noon Monday. River Bandits right-hander Daniel Mengden (1-1) is scheduled to face Cougars right-hander Brent Jones (1-2).

CHICAGO (05/03/2015)(readMedia)-- Thousands of people gathered at Grant Park in downtown Chicago for the 2015 National Football League Draft from April 30 to May 2. Behind the lights, the vendors, and the regalia of the draft, the Illinois National Guard's 5th Civil Support Team out of Bartonville, Illinois and their partners were on duty, silently protecting the masses from threats.

Working events like this is what the 5th CST does. They are a 22-person, full-time, team comprised of highly trained Soldiers and Airmen that specialize in all aspects of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives and weapons of mass destruction threats. The team is broken into six specialized teams that identify and respond to those threats; a command and control team, a science team, a medical team, a decontamination team, a survey team, and a communications team.

For this event, the CST brought personnel to conduct joint hazard assessment team, or JHAT, patrols. The JHAT teams are comprised of Illinois National Guardsmen an dcivilian partners.

Though the NFL Draft is a major event, it is not necessary for the full complement of the CST to deploy every time explained Capt. Christopher Young of Morton, Illinois, Medical Operations Officer for the 5th CST.

"Though it was a large event, when we're asked to do a JHAT mission, we typically just send the necessary pieces," said Young.

While the CST works with local and national government agencies regularly, for the majority of events, they are requested by the U.S. Department of Energy. Once on site, they provide their expertise and abilities to assist in threat detection and response.

"It's tremendous to have the CST augment us," said Christine Van Horn, Regional Response Coordinator for the National Nuclear Security Administration's Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) 5 of the U.S. Department of Energy. "The RAP community is relatively small; the CST really brings a lot to the table to help our operations."

Chicago Fire District Chief Josh Dennis praised the CST for their abilities.

"The CST brings a technical expertise that we can definitely use," said Dennis. "We work with much of the same equipment, but the CST does it on a daily basis and has a level of familiarity that is unmatched."

CST members train not only to augment with their interagency partners, but to be interchangeable with them, making them a much greater asset in an operation, said Dennis.

Staff Sgt. Maggie Cronin of Peoria Heights, Illinois, a Survey Team Member with the CST stressed the importance of interagency work.