MWL1 Clinton LumberKings

Clinton Takes Opener from Chiefs, Wins 2-0

May 4, 2015 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Clinton LumberKings News Release


Clinton, IA - For the second consecutive series, the Clinton LumberKings (11-14) opened up a three game set with a 2-0 victory. Though it didn't match the excitement of the previous one, the no-hitter last Friday, the end result was the same, a win, as the Peoria Chiefs (12-13) fell to Clinton at Ashford University Field.

The second inning featured the only scoring of the night, as both Clinton starter Lukas Schiraldi (W, 2-2) and Peoria starter Chiefs' Luis Perdomo (L, 1-1) pitched very well. After Alex Jackson reached on a fielder's choice groundout, the former first round pick went to third on a single by Wayne Taylor. With Kristian Brito at the plate, Chiefs' catcher Luis Cruz was charged with his fifth passed ball of the season, which allowed Jackson to score from third. After a Brito double moved Taylor to third base, Chantz Mack, celebrating his 24th birthday, drove in Taylor with an RBI single. Brito was thrown out by Peoria right fielder Blake Drake at the plate on the play, but the single made it 2-0 Clinton, the eventual final.

The Chiefs had early chances against the LumberKings' starter Schiraldi, who struggled to control his fastball over the first half of his six-inning outing. The former Texas Longhorn walked two men in the first inning, both with two outs, but got Collin Radack to ground out to end the first. Schiraldi also worked out of a jam in the third, in which he got Nick Thompson to fly out to right field with men on the corners to end that inning.

Schiraldi scattered four hits and struck out three in his best start of the season. Though the righty walked three men for the third consecutive start, he lowered his ERA more than a full run, from 5.00 to 3.75 in the victory.

Clinton did not threaten vs. either Perdomo or reliever Kevin Alexander outside of the second inning. Following a single by Gianfranco Wawoe in the second, only two other men reached base. Estarlyn Morales walked in the third, but was caught stealing, and Brito singled with two outs in the seventh.

The LumberKings' bullpen continued its fine work, as the combination of Nick Kiel and Kody Kerski (SV, 2) tossed three shutout innings. Kiel allowed two hits over 1.2 innings, while Kerski set down all four men that he faced.

The bottom of the order for Clinton tallied all five hits on the night, as Taylor, Mack, and Wawoe each had one, while Brito had a pair. Wawoe's single in the second increased his hit streak to a new league high 17 games, while Taylor (1-3) and Brito (2-3) lengthened their hit streaks to six and five games respectively.

Clinton will now look to take the first two games of a series for the first time in 2015, as Tuesday's game vs. the Chiefs is scheduled for 12 CT in Clinton. Jeffeson Medina (0-2, 4.26) will get the start for the hometown LumberKings, while Austin Gomber (1-3, 4.76) looks to bounce back from losses in each of his last two starts for Peoria. The LumberKings broadcast of game two of the series can be heard on WCCI 100.3 FM, WCCIRadio.com, and LumberKings.com

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