Kernels Top LumberKings in 7-2 Victory
August 28, 2016 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release
CLINTON, IOWA - Luis Arraez, Zander Wiel and Travis Blankenhorn each drove in two runs Saturday during the Cedar Rapids Kernels' 7-2 triumph against the Clinton LumberKings at Ashford University Field. The Kernels earned their sixth consecutive win and took a 2-0 lead in this four-game series while reducing their magic number to clinch a playoff spot to three.
Wiel boosted the Kernels (38-24, 74-57) to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning. Cedar Rapids loaded the bases against Seattle Mariners prospect Nick Neidert, and Wiel lined a single into left field that plated Casey Scoggins for the game's first run.
Arraez and Wiel increased the advantage to 4-0 during the top of the second. Arraez hit a two-out, two-run double to left field before Wiel added another RBI single on a base hit to center field. After the second-inning rally, Neidert shut down the Kernels and retired the final 13 batters that he faced in the contest.
The LumberKings (43-19, 82-50) responded with one run in the bottom of the second. With a runner at first base and two outs, Arturo Nieto doubled to center field off Sam Gibbons. Alex Jackson, who was running on the full-count pitch, scored on the play to cut Clinton's deficit to 4-1.
In the sixth inning, Clinton could only trim the difference to 4-2. Three straight singles loaded the bases for Logan Taylor, and he produced an RBI single to drive in Chris Mariscal. However, Gibbons started a 1-2-3 double play and then induced a groundout to end the inning. Gibbons finished with a quality start, allowing just two runs over six innings pitched.
Cedar Rapids added three runs over the final two frames to secure a 7-2 lead. Blankenhorn scored during an eighth-inning sacrifice fly from J.J. Fernandez. Blankenhorn added a two-run single to right field in the ninth inning that brought in Brandon Lopez and Arraez to cap the scoring in Saturday's tilt.
Gibbons (7-5) was credited with the victory while Neidert (7-3), who allowed four runs in six innings of work, was charged for his first loss since July 8 at the Quad Cities River Bandits. Michael Cederoth claimed his fourth hold after tossing two scoreless and hitless innings of relief. Anthony McIver pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a non-save situation.
The next contest in this series is a 2:00 p.m. Sunday matinee. Kernels right-hander Brady Anderson (2-0, 1.57 ERA) will pitch against LumberKings right-hander Pablo Lopez (6-0, 2.24 ERA). Listen to the action with Chris Kleinhans-Schulz on 1450 KMRY AM and 93.1 KMRY FM and online at www.kmryradio.com and www.kernels.com.
Tickets for all Kernels home games are available at www.kernels.com, the Kernels Ticket Office and by calling (319) 896-7560. The Kernels Ticket Office is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. The ticket office is closed on Sundays except on Kernels Sunday home dates when it will open at 11:00 a.m.
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