MWL1 Cedar Rapids Kernels

Kernels a star-spangled success

Published on July 4, 2005 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


July 4, 2005 - The Kernels remained red, white, and blue hot as they won for the fifth time in six games by defeating the Ft. Wayne Wizards 6-3 in front of 3,512 people on the Fourth of July. The team wore patriotic jerseys for the first time ever in honor of Independence Day and the special look helped as the team improved to 7-5 in the second half of play.

After the Wizards tied the game at three with a run in the fifth, the Kernels took the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Richard Giannotti's fly ball to center field wad deep enough to scored Michael Collins from third base.

Collins, in the midst of an eight game hitting streak, made it nine in a row on Monday by going 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs scored. He led off the eighth inning with a double to left before moving to third on a bunt single by Drew Toussaint. Collins scored the first of two Kernels' insurance runs when Giannotti bounced a ball back to Wizard reliever Geivy Garcia. The Ft. Wayne righty opted to throw home but he missed his mark and everyone was safe on the play. Toussaint eventually scored when Josh LeBlanc flew out to center for the first out of the inning. After a ground ball single by Warner Madrigal, the Wizards avoided further damage by calling on Kyle Stutes to snuff out the remainder of the rally.

Fernando Rodriguez picked up the win after lasting seven innings. The right-hander was touched for three runs (two earned) and 10 hits but was efficient and effective when he needed to be. A pair of Kernel errors allowed the Wizards to scored twice in the third to cut into the Cedar Rapids lead and a single by Matt Thayer in the fifth accounted for the other Ft. Wayne run.

The Cedar Rapids bullpen held fast and firm. Over the last 20 innings the pen has allowed just three runs and on Monday Miguel Gonzalez and Chris Waters combined to throw scoreless innings. Waters pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save of the year.

Freddy Sandoval had an RBI single in the first inning to put Cedar Rapids on the board and the Kernels added two more runs in the second frame. LeBlanc hit a soft liner off Midwest League All-Star Clayton Hamilton to get things going with one out. Madrigal then smoked a ball to the gap in left center to plate his teammate. After Hamilton recorded a strikeout, Alexi Casilla smacked a ball through the box and into center which allowed Madrigal to chug home from second.

Only Giannotti, who managed to drive in two runs, and Chris Walston went hitless as the Kernels piled up 10 hits against the Wizard pitching staff. Madrigal, Collins, and Sandoval had two hits each.

The two teams meet again Tuesday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Game time is set for 7 p.m. with gates opening at 6 p.m. Right-handed hurler Jesse Smith will look to keep the Kernels heading in the right direction as he faces off with Ft. Wayne's Joel Santo.

Check out the Cedar Rapids Kernels Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from July 4, 2005


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