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MWL1 Cedar Rapids Kernels

Big Inning Does in Chiefs for Second Straight Night

May 30, 2007 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


Cedar Rapids, IA - The Cedar Rapids Kernels scored seven times in the first two innings and cruised to another big win over the Peoria Chiefs 12-7 Wednesday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Chiefs have now been outscored 21-10 in the first two games of the four game series and fall back to 25-27 on the season.

Cedar Rapids continued their clutch hitting from Tuesday night in the first inning on Wednesday against Chiefs starter Alex Maestri. With one out, Abel Nieves and Chris Pettit collected back to back singles. Cedar Rapids got on the board when Mark Trumbo singled to left and Alfred Joseph bobbled the ball allowing Nieves to score. After a flyout, Matt Sweeney made it 2-0 with a RBI single to right as Pettit came home.

The Kernels blew the game wide open in the second with some help from the Chiefs. With one out, Stantrel Smith hit a liner to left that was misplayed into a triple by Alfred Joseph. Ryan Mount doubled Smith home for a 3-0 lead and then Maestri issued back to back walks loading the bases. After a second out, catcher Hank Conger connected on a grand slam into the left field pavilion for a 7-0 Kernels lead. The slam was the first hit by the Kernels and the first allowed by the Chiefs in 2007.

Trailing by seven, the Chiefs finally got on the board in the fourth against Kernels starter Sean O'Sullivan. With one out, Josh Lansford singled for the second time in as many at bats. Lansford moved to third on an errant pickoff throw by O'Sullivan and then scored on a hard hit groundout off the bat of Russ Canzler.

Matt Sweeney led off the Kernels fifth with his second double of the game and came home on Smith's second triple of the night. Smith later scored on a wild pitch from Chiefs reliever Chuckie Platt to put the Kernels up 9-1. In the sixth, Pettit drew a walk from reliever Oscar Bernard and scored on a RBI double off the bat of Conger for a 10-1 lead.

Peoria added a late run in the seventh to knock O'Sullivan from the game. With one out Jim Adduci walked and Blake Lalli singled to left. Ryne Malone drove home Adduci with a two out single and O'Sullivan left the game. Reliever Blake Holler walked Matt Canepa to load the bases but Matt Camp bounced out to end the inning. Cedar Rapids finished their scoring with a pair of runs off Bernard in the eighth. Sweeney doubled in a run to make it 11-2 and then Tyler Johnson delivered a sac fly for the final Kernels run.

Maestri (3-3) took the loss, his third straight as a starter. The right-hander allowed seven runs on eight hits and two walks over two innings. Platt gave up a pair of runs on three his in his two innings of work. Bernard allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings while allowing five walks and three hits.

Blake Lalli who collected a hit as the DH finished the contest on the mound and got a groundout on three pitches against the only batter he faced. Lalli has now retired all five batters he has faced on the season in three separate bullpen appearances. After getting the last out of the eighth, he led off the ninth with a double to the wall in right-center. The double started a five run rally with RBI singles from Lansford, Adduci and Joseph but the Chiefs fell short 12-7.

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