Fourth of July Fireworks, Nolan Ryan bobblehead, Tote Bag giveaway, Rascal's Birthday & more

DAVENPORT, Iowa. (July 3, 2014) - The Quad Cities River Bandits, Class-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, battle the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Class0A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, in a three-game series from Friday, July 4, through Sunday, July 6, before hosting the Kane County Cougars, Class-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, at Modern Woodmen Park from Tuesday, July 8m through Thursday, July 10. Tickets are still available on riverbandits.com or by calling the box office at (563) 324-3000.

Due to flood waters around Modern Woodmen Park, a pedestrian bridge will allow access to the ballpark.

Parking under the Centennial Bridge and in the Florian Keen Parking Lot adjacent to the ballpark will be unavailable due to flooding.

Fans may use public parking in downtown Davenport.

Parking is Free at the following locations:

Davenport City Lot at West 5th St. & Brady St.

Davenport City Lot at West 5th St. & Main St.

Scott County Courthouse Lots:

- 5th St. & Ripley St.

- 5th St. & Western Ave.

- Lot between Western & Gaines

- Lot between Scott & Western

Community Healthcare Parking Lot

German American Heritage Center Parking Lot

Parking is available in the following Pay Garages ($5 special event parking price):

Redstone Ramp

Harrison Ramp

River Center Ramp

*Two golf carts will be in use to assist fans who need a ride to and from the parking lots and walking bridge.

Below are the highlights of promotions and events for the homestand.

Friday, July 4, 7:00 p.m. (Gates open at 5:30 p.m.) Sponsors: Smart Toyota of the Quad Cities, WQAD, & WLLR
- Fourth of July Fireworks Show presented by Smart Toyota of the Quad Cities, WQAD & WLLR - The River Bandits will offer all fans an expanded and free postgame fireworks show on the Fourth of July

- Half-price Ferris wheel rides, $2 beer and soda, $1 peanuts and popcorn - To celebrate the Fourth of July Weekend, the River Bandits will offer discounts on Ferris wheel rides and concessions Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday, July 5, 6:00 p.m. (Gates open at 3:30 p.m.) Sponsors: 101.3 KISS-FM, Mediacom & the Dispatch-Argus 

- Nolan Ryan Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Mediacom & the Dispatch-Argus - The first 1,500 fans will receive a bobblehead of Nolan Ryan, the Hall-of-Fame pitcher who won 324 games in his 27-year career with a major league-record 5,714 strikeouts. 

- Battle of the Badges Softball Game - The Davenport Police & Fire Departments will face the Rock Island Police & Fire Departments in a softball game from 3:45 - 5:00 p.m. The event will raise money for the Ronald McDonald House of Iowa City.

- Fan Appreciation Saturday presented by 103.1 KISS-FM - There will be tables for a balloon artist and face painter on the concourse.

- Half-price Ferris wheel rides, $2 beer and soda, $1 peanuts and popcorn - To celebrate the Fourth of July Weekend, the River Bandits will offer discounts on Ferris wheel rides and concessions Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday, July 6, 5:00 p.m. (Gates open at 3:30 p.m.) Sponsors: Hy-Vee, KWQC & B100 

- Hy-Vee Tote Bag Giveaway - The first 1,000 fans will receive a Hy-Vee tote bag.

- Halloween Night - All fans who dress up in costume will receive $1 off their ticket price. There will be a pregame costume parade, trick-or-treating around the ballpark and a costume contest in which the winner will take home a prize. 

- Family Sunday presented by KWQC & B100 - The River Bandits will be on the field 4:15-4:30 p.m. for autographs. Following the game, Kids Run the Bases. Fans can also bring their dogs for Bark in the Park.

- Half-price Ferris wheel rides, $2 beer and soda, $1 peanuts and popcorn - To celebrate the Fourth of July Weekend, the River Bandits will offer discounts on Ferris wheel rides and concessions Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Tuesday, July 8, 7:00 p.m. (Gates 5:30 p.m.) Sponsors: Pepsi, WOC & Q-106.5

- Disco Night - Step back in time with '70s pricing on food and beer. Fans will be able to purchase $2 beer, $3 premium and $1 hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and peanuts.

- Buy-One-Get-One Free Tickets - All regular individual tickets are buy-one-get-one free on Tuesdays the rest of the regular season.

- Kids Eat Free - Kids 12 and under receive a voucher for a free meal at the ballpark.

- Dew for Twosday - Fans can bring in old Mountain Dew cans and exchange them for a voucher for a free 16-ounce Mountain Dew.

Wednesday, July 9, 7:00 p.m. (Gates 5:30 p.m.) Sponsors: U.S. Bank, Mix 96  

- Pay Your Bill Wednesday presented by U.S. Bank & Mix 96 - Fans can bring copies of their unpaid bills to Modern Woodmen Park and enter them in a drawing to be paid up to $100 by the River Bandits. The team will randomly select two to be paid.

- Rascal's Birthday Bash - Other mascots from the region will join Rascal in a pregame celebration on his birthday.

- Jimmy Buffett Night - Fans will be able to enjoy special margarita specials, as well as Jimmy Buffett player headshots and music throughout the game.

Thursday, July 10, 7:00 p.m. (Gates 5:30 p.m.) Sponsors: Modern Woodmen Bank, Rock 104-9 and River Cities' Reader 

- Thirst-day Thursday presented by Rock 104-9 and River Cities' Reader - Fans can enjoy $2 drink specials throughout the game.

- Buy One-Get One presented by IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union - All Thursday tickets for IHMVCU members are buy-one, get-one free. Fans must show membership at the box office to receive the ticket special.

UP NEXT: The River Bandits return home for the Fourth of July weekend, beginning with a 7 p.m. game Friday, July 4, to be followed by Fourth of July Fireworks presented by Smart Toyota of the Quad Cities, WLLR and WQAD. Game tickets are available at www.riverbandits.com. To order any of the River Bandits 2014 ticket plans - with new lower prices - call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

BELOIT, Wis. (July 2, 2014) - Quad Cities River Bandits second baseman Jose Fernandez had a career-high four RBIs with his first career grand slam as the last of his team's three home runs, and left-hander Evan Grills allowed one run in five innings before play was stopped and eventually called off with Quad Cities earning an 8-1, five-inning win at rainy Pohlman Field Wednesday night.

In their shortest completed game since a 3-2, five-inning home win on June 29, 2012, the River Bandits (7-6 second half, 42-40 overall) won their eighth straight game in the season series with the Snappers (2-10, 32-50), who have also lost eight straight second-half games.

Rain fell for most of the game, and Snappers right-hander Hunter Adkins (0-2) began the game in a light shower by walking center fielder James Ramsay on four pitches. Adkins worked to an 0-2 count on third baseman Marc Wik, who then drove his first Midwest League home run to left-center field to give the River Bandits a 2-0 lead. Wik has also homered this season in the Texas and New York-Penn Leagues.

In the bottom of the first inning, Grills (3-3) allowed a one-out infield single by Snappers second baseman Chih-Fang Pan before grabbing a one-hop comebacker to the mound to begin a 1-4-3, inning-ending double play. Grills kept Beloit off the scoreboard until the bottom of the third inning, when first baseman B.A. Vollmuth hit a leadoff double and scored after two groundouts.

Quad Cities held a 2-1 lead with one out in the top of the fourth inning, when left fielder Ronnie Mitchell smacked the first pitch of his second at-bat against Adkins out to right-center field for his first home run since June 2 and team-high 10^th of the season. Fernandez followed with a triple down the right-field line and scored on catcher Jake Rodriguez's RBI single to center field to make it 4-1.

In the top of the fifth inning, Adkins allowed a one-out walk to Wik, who reached base in all three of his plate appearances. With two outs, first baseman Chase McDonald hit a fly to left-center field, where Snappers center fielder B.J. Boyd dropped the ball, allowing Wik and McDonald to reach third and second bases, respectively. Adkins intentionally walked Mitchell before Fernandez launched an 0-1 pitch over the left-center field fence for his first home run since Aug. 21 and an 8-1 Quad Cities lead.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Grills gave up a one-out single to Vollmuth and a two-out single to Boyd before striking out shortstop Melvin Mercedes to complete five innings for his 10^th straight start to begin the season. After the umpires called for the tarp to be put on the field and the game was later called as a final, Grills picked up his first win since May 31, having allowed five hits, one earned run and no walks with two strikeouts.

After clinching a winning road trip with a 6-4 record through 10 of 11 games, Quad Cities seek its first sweep of a road series at 7 p.m. Thursday in Beloit. River Bandits right-hander Kevin Comer (0-1) is scheduled to face Snappers right-hander Lou Trivino (4-6).

UP NEXT: The River Bandits return home for the Fourth of July weekend, beginning with a 7 p.m. game Friday, July 4, to be followed by Fourth of July Fireworks presented by Smart Toyota of the Quad Cities, WLLR and WQAD. Game tickets are available at www.riverbandits.com. To order any of the River Bandits 2014 ticket plans - with new lower prices - call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

• Clachneart–Also referred to as the stone of strength, this is a stone weighing 16 to 22 pounds. Throwers run seven-and-a-half feet up to a toe board to throw the Clachneart like a shot put.
• Braemar Stone–This event is similar to the Clachneart except the stone weighs between 22 and 30 pounds and is thrown from a standing position.
• Weight Throws–Contestants throw a heavy and light metal implement for distance. The implements weigh 56 and 28 pounds, respectively, and arethrown from behind a toe board with one hand.
• Sheaf Toss–A hay fork is used to toss a sheaf, (or burlap bag of twine) for height. The sheaf weighs between 16 and 20 pounds and can be launched more than 30 feet in the air.
• Weight Over Bar–Also called the Test of Champions, contestants must toss a 56 pound weight for height.
• Caber Toss–The caber is a tapered, 15-20 foot pole that weighs between 90 and 140 pounds. Contestants hold the pole upright before tossing it end-over-end for accuracy.
• Irish Super Heavy Two-Handed Stone Throw–This event requires male contestants to lift a 112 pound stone and run a short distance with the stone held at chest height or above the head. The stone is heaved forward with both hands at the end of the running distance. For women, the stone is 56 pounds.