HOT-HITTING BANDITS ROUT HOT RODS AGAIN, 9-2; Edison Frias becomes team's first seven-game winner, while Brett Phillips hits his fifth home run in July

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (July 27, 2014) - Third baseman J.D. Davis had his first career four-hit game, center fielder Brett Phillips homered for a second straight day, and right-hander Edison Frias pitched a season-high seven innings in the Quad Cities River Bandits' second straight 9-2 win over the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Bowling Green Ballpark Sunday afternoon.

Davis drove in the game's first run in the second inning on a double down the right-field line that scored River Bandits designated hitter Brian Holberton following the latter's leadoff single. Hot Rods right-hander Jake Faria (6-6) walked right fielder Ronnie Mitchell, and second baseman Dayne Parker sacrificed two runners into scoring position. Catcher Brett Booth singled to right field to score Davis, and when Booth was caught in a rundown on his way to second base, Mitchell scored to put the River Bandits up 3-0.

Frias (7-5) became the first seven-game winner of the season for Quad Cities (19-16 second half, 54-50 overall). But his first two pitches of the game were hit for singles by Hot Rods shortstop Juniel Querecuto and second baseman Kean Wong. Frias escaped trouble by getting a flyout, popup and groundout to begin a stretch in which he retired 12 of 13 batters.

In the top of the third inning, first baseman Chase McDonald hit a two-out double down the left-field line and scored when second baseman Kean Wong mishandled a ground ball by Holberton that got into center field. Davis then hit an infield single to third baseman Ty Young, and Mitchell hit an RBI single to center field for a 5-0 lead. Faria finished the inning but was charged with five runs - three earned - on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts in a season-low three innings.

Bowling Green (14-21, 46-58) reached the scoreboard in the fifth inning. Center fielder Julian Ridings led off with a single to right field, first baseman Alexander Simon doubled to center field, and Querecuto hit a one-out, two-run single to center field. Frias then retired the next eight batters - five on strikeouts - to last seven innings for the first time since Aug. 15, 2012. His eight strikeouts were a season high.

Following Faria, the Hot Rods used right-hander William Gabay for three scoreless innings. Right-hander Luis Cabrera entered with the 5-2 deficit and pitched a scoreless seventh inning. In the eighth, Cabrera allowed consecutive singles by Davis, Mitchell and Parker, who picked up his sixth RBI on the road trip. With two outs, Phillips smashed his ninth home run of the season to right field, bringing in three runs and extending the lead to 9-2. Cabrera was charged with four earned runs on six hits and two walks with one strikeout in three innings.

River Bandits left-hander Albert Minnis began the eighth inning with a groundout and allowed two hits in the final two innings but recorded the last five outs on strikeouts to post a new career high. Frias and Minnis combined to strike out 13 batters without a walk.

Back-to-back 9-2 scores gave Quad Cities consecutive wins by the same score for the first time since winning 5-2 Aug. 2, 2013, at home against Peoria, and Aug. 3, 2013, in Cedar Rapids. The River Bandits last had consecutive scores against the same opponent in a pair of 4-3 home losses to Bowling Green July 11-12, 2013. Quad Cities last won consecutive games by the same score against the same opponent Aug. 19-20, 2006, at home and then on the road against Burlington. The 2006 team also won consecutive 5-4 games in Clinton June 26-27.

Quad Cities has won seven of eight games and seeks its first-ever sweep in Bowling Green at 12:05 p.m. Monday. River Bandits right-hander Adrian Houser (4-4) is scheduled to face Hot Rods left-hander Bruedlin Suero (2-2).

BANDITS BLAST HOT RODS TO WIN 9-2 SERIES OPENER; Quad Cities has four-run fifth and sixth innings to pick up sixth win in last seven games

DAYTON, Ohio (July 26, 2014) - Designated hitter Ronnie Mitchell and center fielder Brett Phillips each hit two-run home runs in the Quad Cities River Bandits' go-ahead, four-run fifth inning, and left-hander Blaine Sims held the Bowling Green Hot Rods to two runs in a six-inning start for a 9-2 win at Bowling Green Ballpark Saturday night.

Phillips, Mitchell, and shortstop Thomas Lindauer each drove in two runs, and seven River Bandits contributed a hit and a run to a 13-hit showing and the team's highest scoring effort since July 11. Dayne Parker had a game-high three hits for the first time with Quad Cities.

Sims (2-2) had his longest Midwest League start and overcame seven walks - matching his career high and setting a season high by a pitcher for Quad Cities (18-16 second half, 53-50 overall). He allowed two runs - one earned - on five hits with three strikeouts. In the first inning, his two-out walk to Hot Rods catcher Oscar Hernandez led to a run after a passed ball, wild pitch and single by third baseman Ty Young. Sims picked Young off first base to end the inning and got a ground-ball double play to end a bases-loaded jam in the second.

The Hot Rods (14-20, 46-57) nearly added to the 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, as left fielder Darryl George hit a one-out double to center field, and center fielder Julian Ridings singled to center field. But Phillips threw to catcher Brian Holberton to get George at home plate for his 13^th outfield assist of the season - a mark tied for best in the Midwest League.

Hot Rods right-hander D.J. Slaton (0-1) got ground-ball double plays in each of the first two innings to face one batter over the minimum through the first four innings. In the top of the fifth inning, third baseman J.D. Davis hit a leadoff double down the left-field line, and Mitchell drove the next Slaton pitch to the left of the scoreboard in right-center field for his team-high 13^th home run and a 2-1 lead. With two outs, Lindauer reached on a fielding error by third baseman Ty Young, and Phillips followed with his eighth home run to almost the exact same spot as Mitchell's home run.

With a 4-1 lead, Sims walked three batters in the bottom of the fifth inning but only allowed one run on a sacrifice fly by catcher Oscar Hernandez. With Sims on the mound, Bowling Green left seven runners on base, including five in scoring position.

In the sixth inning, Slaton began with a 4-2 deficit and began by allowing first baseman Chase McDonald's double to left-center field, Holberton's single to right field and Davis' RBI single to center field. Slaton was lifted with no outs for right-hander Josh Kimborowicz, who got Mitchell to hit into a fielder's choice before second baseman Dayne Parker hit an RBI single, and Lindauer dropped a two-run single in front of George in left field for an 8-2 lead. Slaton was charged with seven runs - five earned - on eight hits and one walk with three strikeouts in five innings. Kimborowicz gave up four hits and one earned run with three strikeouts in three relief innings.

Following Sims, right-hander Andrew Walter pitched three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and one walk with three strikeouts to earn his team-high ninth save. Quad Cities added a ninth-inning run when Phillips doubled, reached third base on an error and scored on a groundout by left fielder Marc Wik.

Quad Cities has won six of seven games and continues its series in Bowling Green at 2:05 p.m. Sunday. River Bandits right-hander Edison Frias (6-5) is scheduled to face Hot Rods right-hander Jake Faria (6-5).

UP NEXT: The River Bandits are in the running for the 2014 Quad-City Times Readers' Choice Awards in the categories of "Best Entertainment Venue," "Best Family Entertainment," "Best Place for a Kid's Birthday Party," and "Best Place to Take Out of Town Guest". 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.

Quad Cities overcomes four errors and 3-0 deficit to take series opener in Dayton

DAYTON, Ohio (July 23, 2014) - Trailing 3-0 through three innings Wednesday night, the Quad Cities River Bandits rallied for six unanswered runs, using consecutive two-run doubles by Ronnie Mitchell and Chase McDonald in a four-run eighth inning for a 6-3 win over the Dayton Dragons in front of 8,216 at Fifth Third Field.

Despite a game that saw intermittent rain showers and the visitors commit four errors in their first visit to Dayton as an Astros affiliate, Quad Cities (16-15 second half, 51-49 overall) achieved a four-game winning streak for the first time in the second half. Dayton (14-17, 50-49) lost its third straight despite playing in front of its North American professional sports record 1,031^st consecutive home sellout.

One streak did end to help the Dragons take their lead in the second inning against right-hander Kevin Comer. River Bandits center fielder James Ramsay had not committed an error in his first 154 professional games, but a second-inning single by Dragons designated hitter Avain Rachal took a short hop through Ramsay's legs, allowing left fielder Phillip Ervin to score the game's first run from first base and Rachal to reach second base. It was the first error in 87 games and 159 fielding chances for Ramsay this season and the first in 293 chances in his career. Rachal later stole third base and scored when catcher Brian Holberton overthrew third base.

The Dragons' lead grew in the third inning, when second baseman Jamodrick McGruder drew a leadoff walk, stole second base and went to third base on Holberton's throw into center field, and scored on the first of Comer's two wild pitches. Comer recovered to scatter three hits without allowing a run in the rest of his five-inning start. Comer was charged with three runs - two earned - on six hits and one walk with a career-high eight strikeouts, including striking out the side in the fifth inning.

Dragons right-hander Sal Romano struck out all three batters in the first inning and kept Quad Cities to one hit through the first three innings. In the fourth inning, right fielder Brett Phillips lined a leadoff double over third baseman Ronald Bueno and went to third base on McDonald's two-out infield single. Holberton drew a walk to load the bases. Second baseman Marc Wik then grounded a ball to McGruder, whose throw pulled first baseman Robert Ramirez off the base, continuing the inning and allowing Phillips to score. Left fielder Jose Fernandez then hit an RBI single to left field. Romano escaped the inning and kept the 3-2 lead through five innings, allowing no earned runs on four hits and one walk with five strikeouts.

Left-hander Albert Minnis (2-1) followed Comer with three shutout innings, working around two eighth-inning hits. It gave Quad Cities a chance to take the lead against left-hander Joel Bender (4-2). After facing the minimum through his first two innings after Romano, Bender hit Ramsay with a pitch to lead off the eighth inning. Philllips put down a bunt single, and third baseman J.D. Davis singled to left-center field. With the bases loaded Mitchell doubled off the right-field wall, scoring two runs for a 4-3 lead. With runners at second and third bases, McDonald doubled off the center-field wall but was thrown out at third base.

The 6-3 lead was enough for right-hander Tyler Brunnemann to earn his third save with a perfect ninth inning. The win was the first for the River Bandits this season in 11 games in which they have committed at least three errors.

Within an inning of pitching consecutive shutouts, Quad Cities holds off Lake County for 2-1 win

DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 20, 2014) - Quad Cities River Bandits right-hander Edison Frias and left-hander Blaine Sims combined to shut out the Lake County Captains until the ninth inning Sunday, and left fielder Ronnie Mitchell threw out the potential game-tying run at home plate for the final out of a 2-1 win in front of 5,758 at Modern Woodmen Park.

Frias (6-5) gave the River Bandits (14-15 second half, 49-49 overall) their second straight shutout start, as he went five scoreless innings for the third time this season. After a perfect first inning, he began the second inning by allowing consecutive singles to first baseman Nellie Rodriguez and second baseman Paul Hendrix before getting left fielder Dorssys Paulino to ground into a double play. A strikeout  ended the inning, which was only one in which Lake County (15-14, 42-57) put a runner at third base before the ninth inning.

In the third inning, Frias allowed a two-out single by shortstop Ivan Castillo - the last Captains hit until the ninth inning - and a walk to center fielder Clint Frazier. But right fielder Mike Papi flied out to left field in his team's last at-bat with a runner in scoring position until the ninth inning. After a fourth-inning leadoff walk by Rodriguez, Frias retired the last six batters he faced. He allowed three hits and two walks with three strikeouts in his longest start and first win since June 27 in Peoria.

Captains right-hander Jordan Milbrath (3-10) kept the game scoreless through three innings. He stranded the bases loaded in the first inning. In the fourth inning, first baseman Chase McDonald hit a leadoff single to center field, and catcher Brian Holberton singled down the first-base line to move McDonald to third base. After second baseman Marc Wik popped out, designated hitter Jake Rodriguez put down his first Midwest League sacrifice bunt down the first-base line to score McDonald.

In the fifth inning, Milbrath allowed consecutive two-out doubles by third baseman J.D. Davis and Mitchell for a 2-0 River Bandits lead. Milbrath allowed two earned runs on six hits and three walks with one strikeout in 5 1/3 innings. Left-hander Wander Beras followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and right-hander Carlos Melo struck out all three batters in the eighth inning to keep his team's deficit at 2-0.

Following Frias, Sims set down seven batters in a row, before designated hitter Brian Ruiz hit a one-out single in the eighth inning to snap a string of 13 Captains retired in order. But Sims picked Ruiz off first base and got a popout to end the inning.

With a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning, Sims issued one-out walks to Papi and Rodriguez to put the tying runs on base. Hendrix then grounded a ball to shortstop Thomas Lindauer, who threw to Wik for a forceout at second base. Wik's errant throw past first base allowed Papi to score the first run against Quad Cities in 17 2/3 innings, and it put Hendrix at second base as the tying run with two outs. Paulino then grounded a single to left field, and with Hendrix running toward home plate, Mitchell threw a one-hopper to Holberton, who tagged Hendrix to end the game. Sims earned his first save since Aug. 29, 2012, by allowing one earned run on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts in four innings. Quad Cities has won consecutive games for the first time since a July 6 home doubleheader sweep of Wisconsin.

In Monday's 1 p.m. series finale, Quad Cities seeks the first-ever season series sweep in the fifth year of the all-time series with Lake County. River Bandits right-hander Adrian Houser (4-4) is scheduled to face Captains right-hander Caleb Hamrick (3-5).

Chase McDonald homers in fifth straight multi-hit game for Quad Cities, which loses, 7-4

DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 17, 2014) - The Fort Wayne TinCaps became the first visiting team to hit three home runs in a game at Modern Woodmen Park this season, as catcher Adolfo Reina homered twice, and right fielder Franmil Reyes added another in a 7-4 TinCaps win over the Quad Cities River Bandits, who dropped a season-high fifth straight game in front of 5,376 Thursday night.

For a fifth straight game, Quad Cities saw its opponent take at least a five-run lead against its starting pitcher. Right-hander Andrew Thurman allowed a game-opening triple by shortstop Trea Turner down the left-field line, and designated hitter Dustin Peterson hit a sacrifice fly to left-field for his league lead-tying 70^th RBI, giving Fort Wayne (9-17 second half, 39-56 overall) a 1-0 lead.

On Thurman's first pitch of the second inning, Reina hit his first home run to left field, where it reached a leg of the Ferris wheel on one bounce. In the third inning, Turner had a bunt single, Peterson reached on an error by third baseman J.D. Davis, and with one out, Reyes launched his eighth home run of the season to left-center field for a 5-0 TinCaps lead. Thurman allowed two home runs in a game for the first time in his career and was charged with four earned runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts in four innings, matching the longest any River Bandits starter has pitched in the previous four games.

TinCaps right-hander Jimmi Brasoban (1-4) worked around a hit and walk to face the minimum through the first three innings. In the fourth inning, River Bandits right fielder Brett Phillips led off with his second single to right field, and left fielder Marc Wik bounced a ground ball off the glove of first baseman Jake Bauers to put runners at first and third bases. With one out and Wik running from first base, designated hitter Ronnie Mitchell hit an RBI single through the vacated shortstop hole, and first baseman Chase McDonald followed with a single to left field. With two outs, second baseman Jose Fernandez lined a single to left-center field, cutting the deficit to 5-3. Brasoban retired the next four batters to match his season high of five innings, allowing one earned run on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

After extending his season-high seven-game hitting streak, McDonald hit a two-out, solo home run - his seventh of the season - off the center-field batter's eye to make it 5-4 against right-hander Josh Richardson. Richardson set down four straight to finish two relief innings.

River Bandits left-hander Chris Lee kept the deficit to one run through the seventh inning, as he allowed one hit and two walks with one strikeout in three relief innings. Right-hander Frederick Tiburcio started the eighth inning, and Reina smacked his first pitch out to left-center field for his second home run - and the first by any batter against Tiburcio since Aug. 13, 2013. Center fielder Ronnie Richardson doubled to right-center field, moved to second base on left fielder Nick Schulze's single and scored when second baseman Rey Bruguera reached on a roller misplayed by Holberton on the first-base line, allowing Fort Wayne a 7-4 lead. A walk loaded the bases before Tiburcio got a popup for the first out, but left-hander Albert Minnis entered to get two ground-ball outs and work 1 2/3 scoreless relief innings.

TinCaps right-hander Ryan Butler pitched the final two innings to earn his first save. He got help from the TinCaps third double play of the night in the eighth inning. Quad Cities brought the tying run to bat in the ninth, but pinch hitter Brett Booth grounded into a fielder's choice.

Quad Cities (12-13, 47-48) has its first five-game losing streak since Aug. 12-17, 2013, and seeks to snap it in Friday's 7 p.m. series finale with Fort Wayne. River Bandits right-hander Jandel Gustave (5-4) is scheduled to face TinCaps right-hander Cody Hebner (0-1).