Breyvic Valera and Alex Mejia combine to go 6-for-10 with three triples and all Chiefs runs in 4-2 win

DAVENPORT, Iowa (MAY 12, 2013) - The Peoria Chiefs broke a 2-2 tie with the Quad Cities River Bandits in the seventh inning with shortstop Alex Mejia's second RBI triple of the game, and Mejia and second baseman Breyvic Valera combined for six hits and all four Peoria runs in a 4-2 Sunday win in front of 4,231 at Modern Woodmen Park.

 

Valera, the Chiefs leadoff batter, and Mejia, the No. 2 hitter, helped Peoria to a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning against right-hander Mike Hauschild. The pair hit consecutive singles, and with two outs and runner at first and third base, River Bandits first baseman Jesse Wierzbicki stopped and then dropped a ground ball by left fielder Jordan Walton, which brought in Valera for the first run.

 

The River Bandits (20-15) scored their only runs in the fourth inning against left-hander Kyle Helisek (3-1). Quad Cities third baseman Rio Ruiz hit a two-run home run to left field that also brought home left fielder Terrell Joyce. The homer was the second this season for Ruiz, who hit his first exactly four weeks earlier against Peoria at Modern Woodmen Park. Helisek held Quad Cities to three hits and three walks while striking out five batters in six innings.

 

Valera and Mejia quickly erased the River Bandits' 2-1 lead in the next half inning, as they each tripled to left-center field. But Hauschild stranded Mejia at third base by fanning designated hitter Jacob Wilson and - following a walk to Walton - inducing a ground-ball double play by first baseman Patrick Wisdom to keep the score tied, 2-2.

 

Left-hander Colton Cain (1-4) started the sixth inning for Quad Cities and worked a perfect frame before Peoria (17-16) took the lead in the seventh inning. Valera singled to right-center field, and Mejia followed with a drive to right-center between right fielder Ariel Ovando and center fielder Jordan Scott, who collided on the play, and the loose ball allowed Valera to score the go-ahead run and Mejia to reach third for a triple. Wilson followed with sacrifice fly to left field for a 4-2 Peoria lead. Cain held the Chiefs to an eighth inning walk the rest of the way but took the loss, despite going four innings as part of the starting tandem.

 

Chiefs right-hander Joe Donofrio faced the minimum in the seventh and eighth innings by getting a ground-ball double play in the seventh. Right-hander Zach Petrick came in for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single by shortstop Carlos Correa and a one-out walk to Joyce. With runners at first and second and the tying run on base, Ruiz struck out looking against Petrick, and designated hitter Brian Blasik grounded into an appropriate fielder's choice - with Mejia flipping to Valera for the final out - to give Petrick his fifth save.

 

The four-game, three-day series between Quad Cities and Peoria concludes at 11 a.m. Monday, as Chiefs right-hander Joe Lucas (0-2) faces the starting tandem of right-hander Jordan Jankowski (1-0) and left-hander Brian Holmes (3-2). Houston Astros right-hander Josh Fields, who made the first rehab appearance by a major league player for Quad Cities at Modern Woodmen Park on Friday, is also scheduled to pitch two innings Monday.

 

UP NEXT: The River Bandits will recognize Book Buddies again at Monday's game, which is also presented by 97X. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits will make 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 scheduled to open in early June, along with two new zip lines, a carousel, a Frog Hopper, new bounce houses and many other fun attractions. The team also boasts a new major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, and fans will see last year's No. 1 overall draft pick, Carlos Correa. The Astros will also make the very first selection in the major league draft this June and could have another top pick end up in the Quad Cities. With new rides, new attractions, new improvements, a new affiliate and future major league stars, this season will be one every fan will not want to miss!

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Rock Island, IL: May is bike month, so it's only fitting that Rock Island author and bicycling advocate Chuck Oestreich will be at the Rock Island Library on Monday to informally discuss his book, "Bicycle Moon," and discuss the ins and outs of touring on two wheels.

His informal discussion, Bike Touring and Book Writing, will be presented at 6:30 pm, on Monday, May 13 at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street.  Writing a novel has been one of Chuck Oestreich's  lifelong dreams, and he'll talk a little bit about the story, his experiences in writing it, along with some practical tips he's learned over the years about bicycle touring.  Participants are urged to add their own bike touring experiences and tips.

Though the novel's hero spends much of the book on a bike,  bicycling is only part of the story in Bicycle Moon. What's more central to the book is a man drifting through life without much happiness or ambition. But when he accidentally takes off across mid-America on a bike, he has experiences which are singular, to say the least. Romance, suspense, interesting characters, and a whirlwind climax in a small Iowa town all add to the story.

This is not a book signing. No books will be for sale. If you do have a copy, the author will sign it. The author is a long-time Rock Island resident and teacher. He taught English at Rock Island High School for more than 30 years, currently writes a bicycling column for the Rock Island Argus/Moline Dispatch, and is involved in state-wide and local bike activism. He has bike toured cross-country in America and in ten foreign countries.                    

For more news about Rock Island Public Library events, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org, call 309-732-7323 (READ) or follow the Rock Island Library on Facebook and Twitter. A monthly calendar of library events is available online and at Rock Island Library locations.

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Right-hander will be first player to rehab with Quad Cities at Modern Woodmen Park since 2006

DAVENPORT, Iowa (MAY 9, 2013) - Houston Astros right-hander Josh Fields is scheduled to make a rehab appearance at Modern Woodmen Park Friday at 7 p.m. against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Fields is set to become the first major leaguer to have a rehab assignment with Quad Cities at Modern Woodmen Park since 2006.

Fields, 27, made his major league debut April 2 against the Texas Rangers. He was the first overall pick by Houston from Boston in the Major League Rule 5 draft in December. This season he pitched two consecutive scoreless relief outings of 1/3 inning each before being placed on the disabled list with a right forearm strain April 8, with the move retroactive to April 4. Fields has not pitched since April 3 against Texas and is scheduled to pitch two innings in Friday's game against the Kernels.

A native of Athens, Ga., Fields was originally selected by the Seattle Mariners out of the University of Georgia in the first round (20th overall) of the June 2008 draft. He was acquired by the Boston Red Sox with left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard in a three-team deal that included the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31, 2011. He finished the 2012 season with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox before being selected by Houston in the Rule 5 draft in December. His minor league totals in the Mariners and Astros systems include 132 games - all relief appearances - an 11-8 record, 3.57 ERA and 23 saves in 176 2/3 innings.

The last major leaguer to have a rehab assignment with the River Bandits was former St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Brian Tallet, who pitched at Peoria on May 17, 2011. The last major leaguer to rehab for the Quad Cities franchise in Davenport was former St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Mark Mulder on Aug. 6, 2006, against the Clinton LumberKings.

UP NEXT: Friday night will feature a Fireworks show presented by Eastern Iowa Toyota Dealers, WLLR, and WQAD, and it's Home and Garden Night presented by Total Turf & Landscape, as the first 100 fans will receive a Garden Mat from Total Turf & Landscape. Single game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

Quad Cities wins series opener in matchup of top two Western Division clubs

DAVENPORT, Iowa (MAY 8, 2013) - Quad Cities River Bandits second baseman Brian Blasik went 3-for-4, and left-hander Brian Holmes struck out eight to seal the deal on the River Bandits' Guaranteed Win Night with a 4-2 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels in front of 1,611 fans at Modern Woodmen Park Wednesday night.

In the first inning, Blasik lined a double down the left-field line with one out to start the River Bandits offense. One batter later Austin "Catfish" Elkins, making his first start at shortstop this season, blooped a single to left to drive in Blasik and give Quad Cities a 1-0 lead.

After Cedar Rapids (21-9) had two first-inning singles, Holmes kept the Kernels hitless for 15 batters before allowing a two-out triple to Candido Pimentel in the fifth inning. Byron Buxton worked a walk against Holmes to put runners on the corners, and Quad Cities manager Omar Lopez went to his bullpen to call upon right-hander Michael Dimock. The Greensboro, N.C., native got Niko Goodrum to fly out to center to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, Teoscar Hernandez belted a solo home run (2) into the back of the left field berm, to extend the lead to 2-0. Kernels first baseman Dalton Hicks returned the deficit to one in the sixth against right-hander Jordan Jankowski by hitting a solo blast to right that exited the stadium over the Built Ford Tough Deck for the Kernels' first run.

The River Bandits (19-11) added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to increase the lead. Jesse Wierzbicki led off the sixth frame with a walk. Ryan Dineen slapped a grounder back to the pitcher Brett Lee, who misfired on a fielder's choice attempt on Wierzbicki at second base. The error allowed Dineen and Wierzbicki to reach first and third base respectively. Wierzbicki was able to score on a double play off the bat of Roberto Peña. In the seventh, Jordan Scott walked and stole second. A bloop single off the bat of Blasik caused Scott to lie on the brakes while rounding third. A throwing error from third baseman Tyler Harrison - trying to catch Scott at third - trailed through shortstop Jorge Polanco into foul territory, allowing Scott to scamper home.

Cedar Rapids battled back in the ninth, getting a run on right-hander John Neely, but he stranded runners on second and third by striking out Buxton and retiring Goodrum on a groundout to shortstop for his sixth save. Jankowski (1-0) allowed one run and struck out three in two and one-third innings. Holmes struck out eight Cedar Rapids hitters in four and two-thirds innings as the first Bandits starter. River Bandits left-hander Mitchell Lambson delivered a perfect two-thirds of an inning of relief in the eighth and was credited with his third hold of the year. Lee (2-2) gave up three runs - two earned - on four hits in six innings and suffered the loss.

Wednesday's victory means The Captain's Table at 4801 River Drive in Moline will offer The Captain's Table Victory Discount on Thursday, May 9. 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, May 9.

 

Quad Cities closed within two games of the first-place Kernels, who will visit Modern Woodmen Park at 7 p.m. Thursday. Bandits right-hander Vincent Velasquez (3-0) is scheduled to deliver the first pitch against right-hander Hudson Boyd (1-1) and the Kernels at 7 p.m.

 

UP NEXT: Thursday is the River Bandits' Nueve de Mayo party, which features $1.00 off margaritas and select domestic beers such as Corona and Dos Equis. There will also be $2.00 drink specials for Thirst-day Thursday presented by River Cities' Reader, The Quad Cities' CW and Rock 104-9. Single game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.