Frias' strong start, 4-run 5th carry Bandits

Quad Cities River Bandits right-hander Edison Frias matched a career high by pitching 7 1/3 innings in a start, and pinch hitter Chase McDonald and first baseman A.J. Reed hit consecutive two-run doubles in a four-run fifth inning to lift their team to a 5-3 victory and series win over the Burlington Bees in front of 1,898 at Modern Woodmen Park Wednesday night.

One night after Michael Feliz pitched eight shutout innings to become the first River Bandit to pitch more than seven innings in any start this season, Frias (8-5) pitched 7 1/3 innings for the first time since setting his career high Aug. 9, 2012, with the Gulf Coast League Astros. On Wednesday, he retook the team season lead in wins by allowing three earned runs on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts. Quad Cities (23-22 second half, 58-56 overall) won a series against Burlington (20-25, 58-56) for the first time in four tries this season.

Houston Astros outfielder George Springer, playing his third rehab game with the River Bandits, started his second game in three nights as the designated hitter. He doubled to right-center field off right-hander Harrison Cooney (8-6) for his first Midwest League hit in the first inning and stole third base - his second stolen base in three games. In the fourth inning, he drew a leadoff walk against Cooney, went to third base on a double to right field by Reed and scored the River Bandits' first run on left fielder Ryan Bottger's groundout. McDonald pinch hit for Springer with one out in the fifth inning against right-hander Brian Loconsole, who failed to hold a 2-1 Bees lead.

Burlington took the lead in the third inning, when Frias hit third baseman Ryan Dalton to lead off the frame and allowed center fielder Bo Way's two-run home run to right field for a 2-0 deficit. After that, Frias allowed a walk and single with two outs in the fourth inning but then retired 11 straight batters through the first out in the eighth inning.

With a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning, Cooney issued a one-out walk to right fielder Alexander Melendez, and center fielder James Ramsay singled to left-center field. Second baseman Marc Wik walked to load the bases, and Cooney was removed before the end of the fifth inning for the first time since May 20 - also at Modern Woodmen Park. Loconsole allowed McDonald's two-run double off the right-field wall for a 3-2 Quad Cities lead. Reed hit the next pitch to left-center field to score two more runs to make it 5-2. That meant Cooney - who yielded three hits and a season-high five walks with five strikeouts - allowed four earned runs for the first time in an outing this season.

Frias held the 5-2 lead until Bees second baseman Kody Eaves doubled down the left-field line with one out in the eighth inning to end his night. Left-hander Chris Cotton allowed the run to score after a groundout and wild pitch but kept the 5-3 lead.

After Loconsole allowed a run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings, Bees right-hander Ronald Muck struck out four batters in two hitless innings. River Bandits right-hander Frederick Tiburcio struck out two batters in a perfect ninth inning for his seventh save. After allowing 15 hits in the series opener and 85 hits during a six-game losing streak, River Bandits pitchers have allowed seven combined hits the last two games.

Quad Cities begins a four-game series with Beloit at 7 p.m. Thursday at Modern Woodmen Park. River Bandits right-hander Adrian Houser (5-4) is scheduled to face Snappers right-hander Lou Trivino (5-8) in the opener.

UP NEXT: Back-to-back Fireworks nights and two bobbleheads in three days both begin on Thursday. The first 700 fans to Modern Woodmen Park when the gates open at 5:30 p.m. Thursday will receive a Craig Biggio Bobblehead courtesy of Prairie Farms and FOX18. The first 500 fans who wear red to the ballpark will receive a koozie from HAVlife, which will also present a special postgame fireworks show on a Thirst-Day with $2 drink specials presented by the River Cities' Reader. Friday is the Autism Awareness Night, the award-winning promotion and the third annual photo jersey auction presented by KWQC, with Friday Fireworks presented by Smart Toyota of the Quad Cities, WQAD and WLLR. The Roger Clemens Bobblehead giveaway presented by Ruhl & Ruhl Insurance, West Bend and the Quad-City Times is Saturday, and the homestand continues through Sunday. Tickets are available at www.riverbandits.com.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: Having just been named Ballpark Digest's winner of Best Ballpark Improvement in America under $1 million, the River Bandits ownership recently made one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 105 feet over the playing field, opened May 24, and Space Camp opened June 20; the newly expanded 300-foot long zip line has also reopened. In 2013, the team unveiled a new 220-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. Last season, the team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, 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 championship.