Work on the Ferris wheel being erected behind Modern Woodmen Park continues today, as the spokes are being spread and the amusement ride is starting to take shape.

This photo was tweeted to me this afternoon by Steve Campbell, news photographer and sports anchor/reporter at WQAD-TV:

A grand opening for the Ferris wheel is scheduled for Friday, May 2, while the Quad Cities River Bandits are on the road. The team opens a six-game homestand on Monday, May 5.

Hot Rods’ losing streak hits 10

As of when I’m writing this post, one of today’s two early Midwest League games is finished. The Cougars beat the Hot Rods 6-2 to extend Bowling Green’s losing streak to a franchise-worst 10 games. For awhile it looked like Bowling Green might win, but Kane County scored five runs in the top of the 9th inning.

At least the Hot Rods scored in the 6th inning, stopping their streak of scoreless innings at 22. Before today, they last scored in the 6th inning on Saturday.

As for today’s other early Midwest League game? The Burlington Bees and the Fort Wayne TinCaps are now in the 16th inning, tied 3-3.

UPDATE: The Bees-TinCaps game lasted 18 innings. The Bees won 7-5. The teams exchanged runs in the 16th and 17th innings before the Bees made a two-run lead stick in the 18th. It was the longest game in the history of Fort Wayne baseball, lasting 5 hours and 45 minutes. The previous longest game in Fort Wayne lasted 5 hours and 13 minutes (an 18-inning game vs. the Michigan Battle Cats on April 7, 1995).

You can read more about the marathon game here.