Clinton Lumberkings at Cedar Rapids Kernels


April 13th, 2004

Kings
Name POS AB R H RBI
Ian Kinsler SS 5 1 2 1
Dane Bubela RF 5 0 1 1
Juan Senreiso CF 4 2 1 2
Andrew Wishy DH 1 0 0 0
Justin Hatcher DH 2 1 0 0
Kevin Richardson C 4 2 2 3
Brock Jacobsen 1B 4 0 1 0
Luke Grayson LF 3 0 0 1
Casey Benjamin 3B 2 1 0 0
Tobin Swope 2B 4 1 2 0
Kernels
Name POS AB R H RBI
Howie Kendrick 2B 5 3 3 0
Sean Rodriguez CF 5 2 2 2
Brandon Wood SS 2 2 0 0
Matt Pali 1B 3 1 1 1
Matt Brown 3B 3 2 1 4
Caleb Maher DH 4 0 2 2
Brandon Balkcom RF 4 0 0 1
Tommy Duenas C 4 0 0 0
Aaron Peel LF 4 0 0 0



Clinton 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 3 0 8 9 1
Cedar Rapids 3 2 1 4 0 0 0 0 X 10 9 0

E-Benjamin, LOB CLI-4, CR-4, 2B-Kinsler, Richardson, Kendrick, 3B-Bubela, Brown, Maher, HR-Senreiso (Moreno/5th/2 run), Richardson (Moreno/4th/solo), Rodriguez (Chavez/2nd/2 run), SB-Kendrick, Rodriguez, Brown, SACF-Grayson

Kings
Name IP H R ER BB SO Decison
Jesse Chavez 2.1 6 6 6 2 0 L (1-1)
Craig Frydendall 1.2 3 4 4 2 0 ND
Matt Lorenzo 4 0 0 0 0 7 ND

Kernels
Name IP H R ER BB SO Decison
Abel Moreno 5 7 5 5 1 2 W (1-0)
Scott Hindman 1 0 0 0 0 1 ND
Jesse Smith 1 1 3 2 3 2 ND
Von Stertzbach 2 1 0 0 0 4 SV (2)

Smith faced 3 batters in 8th
PB-Duenas, BB-Benjamin, Senreiso, Hatcher, Wood 2, Brown, Pali
HP-Timothy Daub, BS-Darren Budahn
T-2:36, A-976

Clinton Herald

Clinton's furious comeback came up short in a 10-8 setback at Cedar Rapids in Midwest League action Tuesday.

The Kernels shot out to a 10-2 lead through four innings before the Lumberkings made things interesting by tallying three runs in both the fifth and eighth frames.

Matt Brown led the winners as he tripled and knocked in four runs.

Kevin Richardson sparked the LumberKings with a 2 for 4 night at the plate with three RBIs.

The Kernels tallied three runs in the bottom of the first. Brown knocked in one run with a fielder's choice, while Caleb Maher plated two more runs with a triple to right center.

Cedar Rapids made it 5-0 in the second when Sean Rodriguez belted a two run homer to right.

Clinton finally got on the board in the third. Ian Kinsler doubled down the left field line with two out and scored when Dane Bubela bashed a triple to right center.

Cedar Rapids countered with a run in the bottom of the third on Blake Balkcom's RBI groundout.

However, the Kernels put up four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Brown's three run triple sparked the outburst.

In the top of the fifth, Casey Benjamin walked for Clinton, took second on Tobin Swope's single to center and scored on Kinsler's single through the left side. After a double play, Juan Senrieso belted a two run homer to left.

Senrieso and Justin Hatcher opened the eighth with walks before Richardson doubled down the left field line to score both runners. Richardson went to third on a passed ball and scored on Larry Grayson's sacrifice fly.

Abel Moreno (1-0) worked five innings to collect the pitching win. Von Stertzbach worked the final two framed to earn his first save.

Jesse Chavez (1-1) lasted just 2.1 innings for Clinton while suffering the loss.

The teams play the third game of their four game set tonight at 6:30pm. That will be followed by a 6:30 contest Thursday at Cedar Rapids.

Cedar Rapids Gazette
Jeff Johnson

When you're a minor league baseball player, you're always looking for a cheap meal. Freebies are much appreciated, too.

While it won't exactly be free food available today at Taco Bell. It'll be cheap food for sure. Thank to the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

The Kernels began a promotion this season with Taco Bell restruants in the city. Anytime they score 10 or more runs, home or away, hard and soft shell tacos the following day cost a mere 39 cents. With a 10 taco limit.

It's called the Taco Bell Ten Spot. And the Kernels nailed it last night. Bon appetit. Or whatever the Spanish equivalent is.

"I didn't know about that," said Kernels third baseman Matt Brown after his team's 10-8 win over the Clinton Lumberkings at Memorial Stadium. "I am a Taco Bell fan. I'll be going there for lunch tomorrow for sure."

By the looks of it, Brown will be joined by most of his teammates. There was a brief but loud cheer from Kernels players when Kernels manager Bobby Magallanes walked into the clubhouse and reminded them of the cheap food.

"I'll tell them you sent them," Magallanes joked to a reporter.

The funny thing about the jackpot run total was the Kernels accomplished it in the first four innings. Cedar Rapids (4-1) scored three times in the first inning, twice int he second, once in the third and four times in the fourth for a 10-2 lead. All nine Kernels hits came during that span.

One of Rodriguez' hits was his first home run. Matt Brown's two out three run triple to left center in the fourth turned out to be the game winner and the taco winner.

"Once we start heating up a little bit we should (consistently) start hitting the ball real well." said Brown, who has looked much better at bat and in the field in his second go around with the Kernels. "That's what we did last year at Provo. And we've even got one of our top hitters down right now in (injured outfielder Warner) Madrigal."

Clinton reliever Matt Lorenzo came on in the fifth inning and threw four hitless frames with seven strikeouts. "We did swing the bats early again." Magallanes said, "But when Lorenzo came in... Wow."

Starter Abel Moreno got the win for the Kernels, though he was touched for five runs in five innings. Scott Hindman, who struggled in his first two relief outings, threw a perfect sixth inning.

Jesse Smith threw a scoreless seventh but was charged with three runs in the eighth. Von Stertzbach calmed Clinton down again with shutout eight and ninth innings for his first save.

"Hindman really needed that for his confidence." Magallanes said. "I'm happy for him. He's going to be a key part of our success and that bullpen."

How They Scored
Bottom 1st
Howie Kendrick double to right. Brandon Wood walked. Matt Pali singled to right. Matt Brown's fielders choice grounder scored Kenrick. Wood and Brown went home on Caleb Maher's two out double.

Bottom 2nd
Kendrick singled to center and Sean Rodriguez hit a two run homer run to right.

Top 3rd
Ian Kinslere doubled to left with two outs and scored on Dane Bubela's double to right.

Bottom 3rd
Brown walked. Maher singled. Brown stole third and scored on Blake Balkcom's infield groundout.

Top 4th
Kevin Richardson homered to left with one out.

Bottom 4th
Kendrick and Rodriguez singled. Wood walked. A walk to Pali scored Kendrick, then Brown tripled to left center to score Rodriguez, Wood and Pali.

Top 8th
Casey Benjamin walked and Tobin Swope and Kinsler singled with Kinsler's hit scoring Benjamin. Juan Senreiso hit a two out two run homerun.

Top 9th
Senreiso and Justin Hatcher walked. Richardson doubled them in. Richardson scored on Larry Grayson's sacrifice fly.