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MWL1 Cedar Rapids Kernels

Gonzalez closes door on Devil Rays

August 17, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


August 17, 2005 - Reliever Miguel Gonzalez pitched two hitless innings of baseball to subdue Southwest Michigan and give the Kernels a 7-6 victory over the Devil Rays in front of 2,913 people at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Gonzalez entered the game in the eighth inning after Shaun Cumberland's two-run homer off Michel Simard threatened the Kernel lead. After nailing Patrick Breen with a pitch the right-hander settled down and utilized his sinker to record six straight outs to pick up his second save of the season.

The Kernels used a big night from the top of the order to pick up their 24th victory of the second half. Alexi Casilla, Sean Rodriguez, and Nate Sutton combined to collect five of the team's nine hits and scored all but one of the Kernels' seven runs.

As usual it was Casilla who started the Kernels down the right path in the first inning when his bunt dropped over the head of pitcher Matt Larson for an infield single. Wasting little time, Casilla stole second base and moved to third on an error on the throw from Craig Markel. After Rodriguez walked Sutton smashed a single to right to bring Casilla home. Rodriguez, who moved to second on the play, advanced to third on a sacrifice by Michael Collins and scored after a throwing error by the Devil Rays botched a near-triple play. Josh LeBlanc lined a ball right at shortstop Reid Brignac who alertly doubled off Sutton at second by stepping on the bag before throwing to first to get Collins who had reached on a throwing error on his sacrifice attempt. However Brignac's throw went wide of first and Rodriguez was able to score.

The Kernels added four more runs over the third and fourth innings with a pair in each frame. Sutton tripled with two outs in the third and scored on a single by Collins, who advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single to center by LeBlanc.

Warner Madrigal doubled to start the fourth and eventually scored on a single by Casilla. The Kernels' leadoff man then made his way around the diamond by stealing second and once again advancing to third on a throwing error by Markel. Rodriguez then lined a Larson offering into left to plate Casilla.

The Devil Rays kept pace with the Kernels by also scoring two runs in the third and fourth innings with the big blow coming on a fourth inning two-run blast by Tommy Nichols.

Manufacturing runs continued to play a big part in the victory as the Kernels scored the eventual game-winning tally in the seventh after Rodriguez drew a leadoff walk from newcomer Austin Coose. A quick stolen base later put Rodriguez at second for Sutton, who laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved Rodriguez to third. The Devil Rays committed their fifth and final error of the night on the play when Coose fired wildly to first in an attempt to nail Sutton. The throw was off the mark and Rodriguez scored from third with what would prove to be a very pivotal run.

Ronnie Ray picked up the victory for the Kernels by tossing five innings of eight-hit ball and allowing four runs, improving his record to 5-2 on the year.

Casilla finished the night with two stolen bases which brings his season total to 47, just three behind Southwest Michigan's Fernando Perez for the league lead.

Cedar Rapids and Southwest Michigan will bring their four-game series to a close Thursday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium in the final noon game of the year for the Kernels. Fans attending the game can get either a hot dog or hamburger, a bag of chips, and a soda for just $5.00 at the concession stands. Fernando Rodriguez (6-8, 4.23) opposes Southwest Michigan's Eddie de la Cruz (5-3, 6.06) on the mound.

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