Quad Cities will play a home game on 13 weekends, including the season-opening series April 3-6

DAVENPORT, Iowa (SEPT. 19, 2013) - The 2013 Midwest League Champion Quad Cities River Bandits will open defense of their title on the same field where they won it all, as Modern Woodmen Park will host the 2014 home opener Thursday, April 3, against the Kane County Cougars. The team announced on Thursday its 140-game schedule, including 70 home dates and times, for the 2014 season.

The Class-A affiliate of the Houston Astros will play a four-game Opening Weekend series April 3-6 at Modern Woodmen Park, voted the Best Minor League Ballpark in a nationwide vote at 10Best.com and USA TODAY. The very next weekend, the ballpark will host the second annual Bandits Race to Home 5K and Kids Fun Run presented by Palmer Chiropractic Clinics to benefit the Bandit Scholars Program at 8 a.m. Saturday, April 12. The River Bandits will go on to play a home game on 13 weekends throughout the season.

"After two championships in three years, our fans can look forward to another season of first-rate baseball and affordable, family-friendly entertainment," said team co-owner Dave Heller. "With the Ferris Wheel opening in May and new improvements throughout the ballpark, exciting new promotions, great entertainment and must-see attractions, we are determined to make 2014 the best year ever at the Best Minor League Ballpark in the country!"

The River Bandits will play weekday home games at 7:00 p.m., with the exception of 11:00 a.m. start times on three Tuesdays - April 29, May 6 and May 20. This season, all Saturday home games will start at 6:00 p.m. instead of the usual 7:00 p.m. start so younger fans can enjoy every minute of the action. Sunday home games will start at 1:15 p.m. the first half of the season (April 6, June 8 and June 15), and at the end of the season (Aug. 17 and Aug. 24). Sunday games will start at 5:00 p.m. June 22, July 6, July 20 and Aug. 10.

The River Bandits will play a home game on 13 weekends throughout the season, including the Fourth of July weekend, Friday, July 4, through Sunday, July 6, as well as Memorial Day weekend games Friday, May 23, and Saturday, May 24. The team is home for Mother's Day weekend games Friday, May 9, and Saturday, May 10, and a three-day Father's Day weekend series Friday, June 13, through Sunday, June 15. The River Bandits play their regular season home finale Friday, Aug. 29, of Labor Day weekend.

The River Bandits have eight different homestands of six games or more, including two season-long seven-game homestands; one comes Aug. 4-10 and the other June 13-22, sandwiched around the three-day break for the Midwest League All-Star Game, set for Tuesday, June 17, in Comstock Park, Mich. A season-long 10-game road stretch takes place June 24-July 3.

Quad Cities will have a rematch of the 2013 Midwest League Championship Series against the South Bend Silver Hawks April 17-19 at Modern Woodmen Park. Other Eastern Division teams making visits to Modern Woodmen Park include the West Michigan Whitecaps (April 14-16), the Fort Wayne TinCaps (July 16-18) and the Lake County Captains (July 19-21). Every Western Division team will play at least six games at Modern Woodmen Park in 2014.

A full schedule of home and road games for 2014 is available at www.riverbandits.com. Ticket plans for the 2014 season are now on sale.

UP NEXT: Now is the time to lock in your season ticket plan for the 2014 season! Call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000 or visit www.riverbandits.com to download the season ticket order form. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 112 feet over the playing field, is planned for next spring, along with a carousel and other new games and attractions. This season, the team unveiled a new 300-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. The team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, just saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The River Bandits were one of three affiliates to reach the championship round and one of two to win their league championships.

*****

MILWAUKEE, WI (09/17/2013)(readMedia)-- Pete Kaufmann, of Davenport, IA, a sophomore, is a member of the Wisconsin Lutheran College men's golf team.

The Warriors finished third in the Northern Athletics Conference Championships in 2012-2013, the best finish for the program since 2006-2007. Head coach Adam Volbrecht, a former golfer at WLC, is back for his sixth season as head coach after being honored as the NAC Co-Coach of the Year last season. All-NAC Freshman of the Year Sean Esenberg returns for the Warriors along with fellow All-NAC selection Jake Gaudynski. Seven letterwinners return from last season's team.

Wisconsin Lutheran College is an independent Christian college in Milwaukee that is recognized for its academic excellence and Christian leadership tenets. To learn more, please visit wlc.edu.

Tony Kemp has three hits, and Rio Ruiz hits third postseason homer in 4-2 clincher over South Bend

DAVENPORT, Iowa (SEPT. 14, 2013) - Quad Cities River Bandits left-hander Josh Hader struck out eight South Bend Silver Hawks in seven shutout innings, and his teammates built an early 4-0 lead that held for a 4-2 win and three-game sweep of the 2013 Midwest League Championship Series in front of 3,607 at Modern Woodmen Park Saturday night.

In the first year of a new affiliation with the Houston Astros, the River Bandits won the sixth title in Quad Cities franchise history and second in three seasons. Including the playoffs, Quad Cities won its final eight series, 18 of its final 21 games and 20 of its last 24.

One week after pitching a career-high seven innings and yielding just one run in his playoff debut, Hader (2-0) went the same distance but allowed only one baserunner past first. He erased a second-inning single with a double play, stranded singles in the fourth and sixth innings, and left his only walk on base in the seventh. The eight strikeouts were his most as a pitcher in the Houston Astros system.

For a third straight game against South Bend, the River Bandits scored first. Second baseman Tony Kemp, who had a game-high three hits and league-best 12 in eight postseason games, led off with a single to left field. Center fielder Teoscar Hernandez put down a sacrifice bunt, but right-hander Aaron Blair (2-1) threw past first base, allowing Kemp to score and Hernandez to reach third base. Left fielder Danry Vasquez singled down the first-base line to knock in Hernandez to make it 2-0.

In the second inning, third baseman Rio Ruiz hit Blair's first pitch out to left field for his third postseason home run - one in each series-clinching game against Cedar Rapids, Beloit and South Bend. Right fielder Jordan Scott added a single to right field, and Kemp drove him in with a double to left-center field, extending the lead to 4-0. Blair then set down eight straight, including five on strikeouts, until Kemp hit a one-out single in the fifth. Blair lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing all four runs - three earned - on six hits with seven strikeouts.

After Hader struck out at least one batter in each of his seven innings except the sixth, left-hander Mitchell Lambson started the eighth inning and struck out the first two batters he faced. Lambson issued a walk before a fielder's choice groundout ended the inning. The Silver Hawks bullpen allowed three walks but pitched 3 1/3 hitless innings.

In the ninth inning, right-hander Andrew Walter allowed a one-out single by third baseman Brandon Drury, and first baseman Rudy Flores hit a two-run home run down the right-field line - the first runs against Walter in the Midwest League and the first Silver Hawks runs in 23 innings. After second baseman Fidel Pena drew a walk, Walter got designated hitter Roidany Aguila to pop out to catcher Roberto Pena, and right fielder Mike Lang flied to center fielder Teoscar Hernandez for the final out of the Midwest League season.

Saturday's victory means The Captain's Table at 4801 River Drive in Moline will offer The Captain's Table Victory Discount on Sunday, Sept. 15. Anyone who mentions the River Bandits' victory can receive a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of two lunches or dinners with beverages on Sunday, Sept. 15.

UP NEXT: Stay tuned to www.riverbandits.com for the 2014 schedule announcement. For 2014 season tickets, contact the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at  563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 112 feet over the playing field, is planned for next spring, along with a carousel and other new games and attractions. This season, the team just unveiled a new 300-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. The team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, just saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The River Bandits were one of three affiliates to reach the championship round and one of two affiliates to win their league championships.

*****

Quad Cities opens Championship Series with yet another playoff pitchers' duel win over South Bend

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (SEPT. 11, 2013) - Quad Cities River Bandits right-hander Chris Devenski struck out a season-high nine batters in seven innings, right fielder Jordan Scott hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning, and third baseman Rio Ruiz hit a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning of a 3-2 win over the South Bend Silver Hawks in the opener of the Midwest League Championship Series at Four Winds Field at Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium Wednesday night.

 

Opening its second Midwest League Championship Series in three seasons, Quad Cities took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five matchup. Game 2 will be at 6:05 p.m. Thursday in South Bend, with River Bandits left-hander Joe Bircher (3-3 regular season, 1-0 postseason) scheduled to face Silver Hawks right-hander Blake Perry (8-7, 0-0). Game 3 will be Saturday at 7 p.m. at Modern Woodmen Park.

 

Quad Cities took a lead in the third inning against South Bend right-hander Braden Shipley. Designated hitter Brian Blasik drew a one-out walk, and second baseman Tony Kemp reached on an infield single toward third. Both advanced when center fielder Teoscar Hernandez flied out to center field. Shortstop Carlos Correa and left fielder Danry Vasquez each walked to force home the first run.

 

Devenski (1-0) kept the 1-0 lead despite lone doubles in the second and third innings. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Silver Hawks first baseman Rudy Flores hit a one-out double, and second baseman Fidel Pena cracked a two-run home run to right-center field, giving his team its first lead of the game at 2-1. Devenski then retired 11 of 13 batters, including six on strikeouts, to finish his outing.

 

Shipley held the lead until Scott led off the seventh with his first home run since June 24, 2012, with the Lexington Legends. In a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh, Devenski allowed a one-out single by Silver Hawks designated hitter Justin Williams but stranded him at third by striking out left fielder Chuck Taylor. South Bend went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left six on base.

 

In the eighth inning, Correa hit a leadoff single to chase right-hander Kyle Winkler (0-1). Vasquez then grounded into a fielder's choice against left-hander Daniel Gibson, who threw a wild pick-off attempt to first base that moved Vasquez to third with one out. Gibson struck out first baseman Bobby Borchering, but Ruiz fought to a 2-2 count before grounding his first hit of the game through the right side to score Vasquez with two outs for a 3-2 lead. It was Quad Cities' only hit in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position.

 

Right-hander Patrick Christensen inherited the lead and got two of the first three hitters in the eighth. With center fielder Socrates Brito at first base from his one-out single, right-hander Andrew Walter struck out Flores to end the inning. In the ninth, Pena hit a leadoff single against Walter and went to second base on a sacrifice. Walter then got a strikeout and flyout to left field to earn his third postseason save.

 

Wednesday's victory means The Captain's Table at 4801 River Drive in Moline will offer The Captain's Table Victory Discount on Thursday, Sept. 12. Anyone who mentions the River Bandits' victory can receive a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of two lunches or dinners with beverages on Thursday, Sept. 12.

 

UP NEXT: The River Bandits will give away nine DVD players - one for each inning - and nine baseball-themed movies courtesy of American TV & Appliance in Davenport at the first Championship Series home game at 7 p.m. Saturday. Fireworks will follow the game, and 12-ounce beer and soda, as well as hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn and nachos are $1 each. All regular individual tickets are $5 each at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at  563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

 

ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 112 feet over the playing field, is planned for next spring, along with a carousel and other new games and attractions. This season, the team just unveiled a new 300-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. The team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, just saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The Championship Series will likely be the last chance for Quad Cities fans to see 2012 No. 1 overall pick Carlos Correa and many other future stars in a River Bandits uniform.