MWL1 Burlington Bees

Bees Clobber Kernels, 14-9

Published on June 14, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Burlington Bees News Release


CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (6/13/12) - The Burlington Bees (30-35) scored seven runs on two swings and beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels (28-38) 14-to-9. The Bees hit three home runs and now have five home runs in the last two games against the Kernels. The 23-run game came a day after a 2-to-1 pitchers' duel in game one.

The Bees actually fell behind 1-to-0 after the first inning, but Wade Kirkland responded with his 13th double of the season to start the second inning. Kirkland advanced to third base after Nick Rickles put down a perfect sac- rifice bunt. Infielder Ryan Pineda followed with a crisp line drive to rightfield to score Kirkland.

The Bees manufactured a run to tie the game 1-to-1 in the bottom of the second, but they would soon find little use for the small-ball tactics.

Zach Borenstein helped the Kernels reclaim the lead on a solo home run to leadoff of the bottom of the second. Fortunately Raul Alcantara settled down after the home run, which helped the Bees take a commanding lead in the third.

With two outs in the top of the third, Bobby Crocker and Kirkland walked to set up an RBI opportunity for Nick Rickles. Rickles didn't settle for just one or two RBIs; instead the Bees' catcher slugged a three-run home run over the leftfield wall to give the Bees a 4-to-2 lead. The homer gave Rickles a total of four on the campaign.

The Bees improved on the two-run lead in mere minutes. Ryan Pineda yanked his first home run with the 2012 Bees over the leftfield wall. The Bees went back-to-back and ended the top half of the third leading 5-to-2.

The Bees remained hungry for run in the top of the fourth and followed the four-run inning with a five-run effort in the next inning. Eliezer Mesa led off the fifth with a double and advanced to third on walks by B.A. Vollmuth and Rashun Dixon. Bobby Crocker walked with the bases loaded to score Mesa and keep the bases loaded for Wade Kirkland.

Kirkland didn't waste the chance to blow the game wide open and crushed a no-doubter over the left-centerfield wall for his first grand slam and third home run of the year. The Bees led 10-to-2 after five.

Raul Alcantara battled through five innings and left the game in the sixth with no outs and two runners on. Both runners scored with Drew Tyson pitching, which put a bruise on Alcantara's performance. Still, Alcantara (4-6) earned his fourth win after pitching five innings and allowing four earned runs.

As if posting crooked numbers in the third and fourth frame of the scoreboard wasn't enough, the Bees kept their patience at the plate and scored four times in the top of the seventh. The Bees walked three times and earned a couple hits in the seventh to build a 14-to-4 lead. Crocker earned two RBIs on a double and Dixon scored on a wild pitch.

Dixon walked earlier in the inning and finished with a career-high of five walks in a game. The Bees walked a season-high 14 times on Wednesday.

The final score was 14-to-9, but the game never felt close. The Kernels cut into the Bees' lead with a grand slam by Chevy Clarke in the bottom of the eighth, but their effort came too late to warrant a legitimate threat.

The win marked the Bees' fourth consecutive win against the Kernels. The streak is the best the Bees own against any opponent this season. The Bees look to extend that streak to five games on Thursday night. If the Bees can win, they'll earn their first sweep over an opponent this year. First pitch is schedule for 6:35 p.m.

For information on Bees baseball and promotions, call (319) 754-5705 or visit www.gobees.com.

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Midwest League Stories from June 14, 2012


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