MWL1 Clinton LumberKings

Bees Batter Butler, Take Series Opener

Published on August 6, 2011 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Clinton LumberKings News Release


Burlington, IA - The Burlington Bees scored six times over the first four innings against Clinton left-hander Tony Butler and rode that offense to an 8-4 victory over the LumberKings on Saturday night at Community Field. Tony Thompson went 1-for-3 with a double and three RBI and Tyreace House put the game out of reach with a two-run single, finishing 2-for-4 for the Bees.

The LumberKings scored in the top of the first as Mike McGee doubled down the left-field line and scored on Stefen Romero's two-out triple off the outstretched glove of House in center. That lead was short-lived as the Bees scored four times on Butler in the bottom of the first.

Ryan Pineda opened the game with a double to left-center and was joined on the basepaths by Royce Consigli, who walked, and Josh Whitaker, who dropped down a surprising bunt single to load the bases. Thompson followed with a two-run double to left-center scoring Pineda and Consigli, and Douglas Landaeta drove home Whitaker with a sacrifice fly to deep left.

Butler committed the first of three errors on the night in the first inning, misfiring to first on a pickoff attempt. That scored Thompson to give the Bees a 4-1 lead.

Nino Leyja blasted a solo home run, his second of the season, to left field in the second inning. The first blast served up by Butler in the black-and-green gave Burlington a 5-1 edge.

Julio Morban returned the favor in the top of the third with a solo clout of his own to right field, his third of the season, cutting the deficit to 5-2. However, Butler yielded one final run in the bottom of the third, walking Whitaker and eventually letting him score on a sacrifice fly by Thompson. Butler (L, 1-2) worked scoreless fourth and fifth innings to keep Clinton close, but exited with six runs, five earned over 5.0 innings.

John Hicks doubled to left-center and scored on a single back through the box by Anthony Phillips in the fifth, bringing the Kings to within three at 6-3. Bees' right-hander Jonathan Joseph (W, 3-4) exited with three runs on six hits over 5.0 innings.

Morban dropped down a bunt single and took two bases on a throwing error by Bees' catcher John Nester in the eighth, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Rivers to shorten Burlington's lead to 6-4. However, the Bees got that run back and one more in the bottom of the eighth as House ripped an inside-out single down the right-field line to score Nester and Leyja. Right-hander Ben Versnik allowed both runs with two outs in his LumberKings' debut.

Down 8-4 in the top of the ninth, the Kings went in order against right-hander Pedro Vidal (S, 2). Vidal and right-hander Blake Treinen (H, 1) combined for 4.0 scoreless innings in relief of Joseph.

Morban went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI in the loss for the LumberKings.

The LumberKings (21-20) continue the four-game set at Burlington (14-27) with Sunday afternoon baseball at Community Field tomorrow, first pitch scheduled for 2:00 PM. Right-hander Stephen Kohlscheen (1-3, 6.39) returns to make his second start, 17th appearance for Clinton. He'll be opposed by Bees' right-hander Nate Long (6-5, 3.27). Listen to the game on AM 1390 KCLN in Clinton or live on the web at 1390kcln.com.

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Midwest League Stories from August 6, 2011


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